


Truth in Sickness

by dragonwriter24cmf



Category: CSI: Miami
Genre: Delirium, Families of Choice, Feels, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Major Illness, Scars, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 49,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22850305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonwriter24cmf/pseuds/dragonwriter24cmf
Summary: Horatio returns from New York with a nasty case of pneumonia. The team gathers around to care for him, but taking care of Horatio isn't as easy as it sounds. Especially when delirium threatens to reveal Horatio's long held secrets.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. Emergency

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All characters belong to the creators of CSI: Miami

**Truth in Sickness**

**Chapter** **One:** **Emergency**

Horatio Caine stared down at the figure on the autopsy table, his eyes shadowed with concern. The young woman lay stiff and cold, blood dried in her hair and on her chest. He studied the still face for a moment, then looked up at the woman across the table from him. “So, Alexx, what have you got for me?”

Alexx snorted. “Horatio, I haven't even started yet. I just got this baby girl on the table. All I can tell you is what I said at the crime scene. Initial impression is COD caused by sharp force trauma. Anything else is gonna take a little time.”

“Understood, Alexx.” Horatio turned away, stifling a cough in one hand.

Alexx looked up. Horatio was turned away, his hand over his mouth. The red-head's shoulders were tense. “Horatio honey, you okay?”

Horatio took his hand from his mouth and offered her a small smile. “I'm fine Alexx.” Then he covered his mouth once more, stifling another cough.

Alexx snorted. “Horatio, you don't look fine.” She studied him, noting the paleness of his features, and the slightly strained look around his eyes, then pointed to the glass window of the upper deck observation room. “Well, fine or not, you're going to observe from there today.”

Horatio's eyebrow rose. “Alexx...”

“No argument.” Alexx shook her finger at him. “If you keep coughing like that, you're going to contaminate my evidence. So...upstairs with you.”

Horatio smiled. “It's just a little dryness.”

Alexx smiled back. “Dryness or not, Horatio, you're going up there. I'll talk you through it as usual. And you can see just fine, so don't fuss about the view.”

Horatio smiled, his head tilting sideways with a quirked grin. “Doctor's orders. Don't start without me.”

“Of course not. Get going.” Alexx made a shooing motion.

Horatio's smile widened, then he turned and disappeared through the doors, reappearing a moment later in the observation theater. Alexx waited a few minutes until he'd gone through the motions of turning on the monitors. “You ready up there?”

“Ready and waiting.” Horatio's voice came through, a faint air of amusement still in his tone.

“All right then. I'm getting started.” Alexx turned her attention back to the body.

It took her about half an hour to wash down the body. Then she began a careful study of the wounds. “Looks like a short knife, but it nicked an artery. But these wounds...they're rough. It's like the knife was dull or something.”

“That sounds almost like the attacker wasn't planning to use it, doesn't it?” Horatio's voice was thoughtful.

“Well, I can't say for certain. Might just be something that doesn't hold an edge real well. Or maybe the killer was too inexperienced to use it properly. I'll need to get a complete casting of the wound to say for certain.” Alexx glanced up at the observation port. “I've got some trace here too, Horatio. I'll have it ready for you in just a moment.”

“Thank you Alexx.”

The ME smiled, then went back to her work. Carefully, she collected the trace from the victim's nails and hair, then began filling in the castings of the knife wound, carefully searching for other wounds. At each step, she spoke out loud, cataloging her work. She sighed. “This girl didn't go down easy. She's got defensive wounds, trace, and the killer struck her several times before he finished the job.”

Silence greeted her remark. She looked up, but Horatio was no longer at the view-port. Alexx sighed. She knew Horatio could be impatient, and often looked at several angles of a case at once, lining things up in his head in a way only he seemed able to do. And given that he'd been watching the entire thing, it was likely he'd made another of his intuitive leaps and simply gone to pursue it. She smiled, slightly exasperated, then turned back to the body.

She was just finishing up an hour and a half later when Eric strolled into the morgue. “Hey Alexx.”

“Hey yourself.” Alexx grinned at him. “What brings you down here?”

Eric grinned back. “Just coming to collect any findings you might have from our victim. You find COD?”

“Nicked artery from sharp force trauma, just as I suspected.” Alexx grinned. “Horatio finally send you down here for his trace and DNA samples?”

Eric stopped, the smile dying away from his face, into a thoughtful frown. “No. Haven't seen H since we got back. Was he down here?”

“Yeah, hour and a half ago. Watched me start the preliminary from the observation deck, then just took off.” Then the younger CSI's statement registered, and she looked up. “Wait a minute...didn't he go back to the lab?”

“Nope.” Eric sighed, then frowned. “Observation area? Was there something wrong?”

“Not with the victim. But he was coughing some, so I had to send him up there. I can't have him contaminating my body.” Alexx frowned. “Has he been coughing a lot recently?”

“Well, not around us. But Calliegh noticed yesterday he looked a little off, and he seemed a little more tired than usual at the scene today.” Eric's frown was more pronounced. “Alexx, you think something might be wrong?”

“I don't know.” She sighed. “I love that man, but if he's not feeling well, he's harder to catch than a criminal with no record and no fingerprints.”

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Eric was frowning up at the clear windows. “You said he left?”

“Yeah. Over an hour ago. Why?” Alexx looked up, feeling a trickle of unease.

Eric's eyes were serious. “No one's seen H in the lab for almost three hours.” His gaze came back to her. “Call it a hunch, but I think I'm gonna go take a quick peek around the observation area.”

Alexx nodded, a sudden twist of concern knifing through her. She stripped off her gloves. “I'll come too.”

The door to the observation room was closed. Eric tapped it. “H almost never closes this.” He glanced at her, then turned the knob and pushed it open. As soon as it opened, he stiffened. “Shit. H!” He took a running step forward.

Alexx gasped. Horatio was lying crumpled on the floor, a small pool of blood formed around his head. The red-haired CSI was pale, and even from the doorway, she could hear the roughness of his breathing. Shock held her still a moment, then she was dashing across the few feet that separated them. “Horatio?”

Eric's hands were already on his superior's neck, then they shifted upward. “Pulse is a little uneven. Fast too.”

Alexx shuddered. “Did someone attack him?” It was hard to imagine someone doing so, especially here, but still... “How could this have happened?”

“I don't know, but I don't think it was an attack. There's blood on the counter there. Looks like he hit his head.” Eric's hand touched Horatio's face again. “Alexx, he's burning up.”

Alexx nodded. Her mind was already shifting from shock into medical mode, noticing the slight trembling of Horatio's hands. “He's shivering too. I'm gonna go get a thermometer and a blanket. Stay with him.”

“Yeah. I'll call Calliegh, Frank and Ryan. We're gonna need help. And Alexx...” Eric's eyes met hers. “Better bring some disinfectant and gloves for us too.”

“Right.” She was already moving, her mind inventorying what she needed, and where she could get it in her office and morgue. She dashed down the stairs in record time. Even so, she could hear Eric making calls, and he was talking in rapid fire. She collected two clean morgue blankets, a box of gloves, the hand sanitizer she used for scrubbing up before and after an autopsy, and the nearest thermometer she could find. Then she was racing back to the room.

Calleigh and the others met her at the door. “Alexx, Eric said it was an emergency.”

“It is.” She shoved the gloves and bottle of sanitizer at the younger woman. “Clean your hands and put the gloves on before you come in.” She snapped a pair onto her own hands, sprayed a pair for Eric, then strode inside. “How is he?”

“Shaking, and it feels like he's getting hotter by the minute.” The younger CSI had already removed his jacket and laid it over Horatio's trembling form. He'd also wrapped a makeshift bandage around the head wound to stop the bleeding. “Alexx, what do we do?”

“You put these on, then hold him still so I can get a temp reading.” Alexx was already prepping the thermometer. “Calleigh, you got my blankets, honey?”

“Right here.” The other three stepped inside. “What's going on?”

“Don't know yet. He just collapsed.” With Eric supporting Horatio's head, Alexx gently manipulated the thermometer into his mouth and under his tongue. “Hold him still.”

Frank stared at her. “Alexx...I don't mean to be rude, but...is that an autopsy thermometer? That liver temp thing, or whatever, that you've got stuck in his mouth?”

“Don't fuss. It's the most accurate tool I could get my hands on in a hurry.” Alexx was watching the gauge.

“No problem. Just seems a little creepy is all.” Frank shifted uncomfortably.

“Yeah well, got any better alternatives?” Alexx frowned at the gauge. “That ain't good.”

“What's it say?” Ryan stepped forward.

“His temp is 103 and rising.” Alexx looked up. “Frank, go get me one of the cold storage bags or sheets from autopsy. We gotta start trying to cool him down, or he's gonna overheat and go into shock, if he hasn't already.”

Frank nodded and ducked back out the door. Ryan frowned. “What about the blankets?”

“You and Calliegh tuck those around him right now. It'll keep the moisture from the cold from getting to him so much.” Alexx looked up. “We gotta get him to a hospital, right now. I don't know what he's got, but he's dangerously sick.” Her hand touched his throat. “Pulse is still uneven, and that's way too fast. If we don't get this under control, he might start having heart complications.”

“You mean like a heart attack?” Calliegh's voice was sharp with concern.

“I mean exactly like a heart attack.” Alexx frowned. “Eric, call an ambulance.”

“No time.” Eric's eyes were dark, focused. “If he's that bad...we don't have any time to waste.” He rose. “I'll get my Hummer, bring it around to the back entrance close to the morgue. When Frank gets back, have him take H down the stairs, get him on a gurney. We'll load him into the hummer and drive him in ourselves. We can call it in route.”

Alexx debated the wisdom of that, but then her eyes went back to the temperature gauge. 103.5. And she could feel the fast beat of his pulse under her fingers, and the trembling that shook him. Her gaze slipped to the waiting CSI's, all hovering in the background. They were all emergency trained. She nodded. “Good thinking. Let's get moving.”

“All right.” Calleigh rose as well. “I'm gonna go back to the lab and tell Natalia. We'll secure the evidence from the case so they can't say it's compromised, and try to buy you a little breathing space. We'll join you there when we can.”

“I'll ride with Horatio.” Alexx grimaced. “I sure as hell don't intend to let him end up on my table for something like this.”

Eric nodded and strode out of the room, his pace a fast walk just barely short of a run. Calliegh was only a step or so behind, her face set in lines of determination and concern.

Frank was back a few seconds later, a cold sheet in his hands. “Got one straight out of the fridge for you.” He handed it over. “What are we gonna do with that?”

Alexx gestured. “Ryan, help me spread this out.” The two of them flattened the sheet on the floor. Then Alexx looked up at the homicide detective. “Can you pick him up?”

“Horatio? Yeah, sure. Man doesn't weigh more than 180, soaking wet, I don't think.” Frank moved over. “Where do you want him?”

“We need to put him on the sheet, and wrap it around him,as much as we can, to try and slow down this fever. Then we need to carry him downstairs and get him to Eric's car.”

“Got it.” Frank crouched beside his friend. With surprising gentleness, he lifted the slight form into his arms. A frown creased his face. “Alexx...you sure about this? He's shivering pretty hard.”

“I know. That's why I got the blankets. But we've still got to arrest that fever, before it damages his heart.”

“You're the doctor.” Frank braced himself, then looked up at Ryan. The younger CSI was standing uncertainly near the door. “Mr. Wolfe, why don't you go down and get a gurney ready for me to take him out on?”

“Right. I'm on it.” Ryan managed a short jerk of his head, then he was out the door and running.

Frank lowered Horatio's still form onto the cooled sheet, then pulled the edges around the slight frame. Horatio moaned, shifting slightly, his head twisting to one side. His arms, already wrapped in the material, shifted as if he were trying to push them away and hadn't the strength. Frank exchanged a quick, concerned look with Alexx, then lifted the body of his friend into his arms. “Let's get him out of here.”

Frank took the steps as fast as possible. Ryan was waiting with a medical gurney. He looked up, eyes sharp with worry. “Eric's out back. The hall's clear. I'll stay behind and keep people from coming this way.”

“That's a good plan. Get on it.” Frank lowered Horatio onto the gurney, then snapped the straps in place. Horatio moaned again, and his eyes fluttered. He didn't seem conscious, but there was no mistaking the agitation. Frank laid a hand on his arm. “Sorry Horatio, but we can't let you fall again.”

The eyes closed again, tension leaving the shoulders as the man slipped back into unconsciousness. Frank looked up. “Isn't he supposed to stay awake if he's hit his head?”

“Normally, yes. But there's not a lot I can do about it now. Let's get him to the hospital.”

“Right.” Frank took one side of the gurney, Alexx the other. Ryan gave them both a last look, then turned to go the opposite direction. Together the two of them shoved the gurney out into the autumn sunshine of the morgue entrance.

Eric was there, motor running and all the doors of his vehicle open. He helped them stop the gurney on the passenger side, then gestured. “Alexx, you climb in that side. Frank and I will pass H to you through this door. We'll lay him at an angle on the back seat. We need to keep his head up, right?”

“That's right.” Alexx was already climbing into the driver's side back door. She moved over, then held out her hands. “Give him here, honey.”

“You got it.” Frank and Eric looked at each other, then moved simultaneously, carefully lifting the wrapped form and angling him through the door. Two sets of hands cradled the bandaged head until Alexx could brace him against her body. Then she moved back carefully, supporting Horatio as they maneuvered him into the car.

It was awkward, and Frank cursed as he stumbled and knocked Horatio's arm into the door. Even so, within minutes, Horatio was lying at a diagonal across the seat, his head and shoulders resting on Alexx's chest, the rest of him draped as best they could manage. It looked terribly uncomfortable, but Horatio didn't give any sign of noticing. He was almost completely non-responsive. Alexx wrapped an arm over his shoulders, then gently stuck the thermometer into his mouth again. She watched the gauge and bit back a curse. “Eric honey, you'd better step on it. His temp's still going up.”

“Roger that.” Eric took a deep breath and hopped in, slamming his foot onto the pedal even as he buckled his seat belt. The engine revved hard, tires squealing. Frank slammed his door. The car was already in motion and rocketing toward the main road as the big man snapped his seat belt in place. Eric jerked his chin at the dash. “Frank, call the hospital. Let 'em know what's going on, will you?”

“Already on it.” Frank snapped his cell phone out, dialing quickly. “Yeah, hello? Miami Dade Memorial Hospital? Yeah. This is Frank Tripp, MDPD. Bringing in a co-worker of mine. Yeah. He collapsed, he's got a serious fever and he's shaking like a druggie in withdrawal.” A frown sounded in his voice. “No, I don't think that's the problem, you think I'd still be working with him if it was? Look, we're pretty sure he's sick with something. His fever's something like 103. ME thinks it's an illness of some kind.” Exasperation again. “No I don't know where he got it. Look, all I know is, he collapsed, he's got a hell of a fever, he's shaking, and he hit his head when he went down. Probably has a concussion on top of everything else.” He sighed. “No, I can't verify that, he's unconscious at the moment.” he paused. “Yeah. Yeah. Thanks. We'll be there in a few minutes. CSI Hummer.”

Frank snapped the phone closed. “They said to bring him to the ER entrance. They'll have someone waiting for us.” He looked at the speedometer. “Eric, go faster.”

Eric blinked. “Frank...”

“Just hit the sirens and move your ass.” Frank gestured.

“Okay.” Eric tossed a glance back over his shoulder. “Alexx, you'd better brace him.”

“Already on it, honey.” Alexx pulled Horatio closer, stabilizing his head with an arm and hand wrapped round his jaw. “I agree with Frank.”

“You got it.” Eric tightened his grip on the wheel, flicked the sirens on, then slammed his foot on the pedal. The car shot forward.

Within minutes, they were pulling up to the ER entrance. A couple technicians were waiting with a gurney. Frank just barely waited for the car to stop rolling before he jumped out. “Frank Tripp. I called in a few minutes ago.”

“Yes sir. Doctor sent us down to wait for you. You got a patient for us?” The taller of the two young men stepped forward, eyes sharp with concern.

“Yeah.” Alexx was already shoving the door open. Frank caught her, braced her, then reached in to take Horatio's weight from her. “His name's Horatio Caine. Came down sick about two hours ago, we think. He's got fever, chills, and a head wound. Probable concussion. He's been unconscious for at least half an hour, probably longer.” Alexx stepped down. “I've got him wrapped in a cooling blanket, but his fever's still climbing.”

“Yes ma'am.” The ER techs helped her load the unconscious man carefully onto the gurney. One of them touched Horatio's forehead with a gloved hand and hissed. “Damn, that's hot, even with Miami temperatures.” His gaze touched Horatio's face. “No perspiration, even at this temp...he's dehydrated already.” He looked at his partner. “Let's roll it. We need to get this one in, stat.”

“Right.” The other tech looked up. “Fourth floor. Doctor Reynolds. He'll be the one to see this guy. You should wait for results up there.”

“Fourth Floor. Got it.” Alexx nodded, and the techs turned and disappeared inside the building, Horatio lying motionless on the gurney between them.

Frank sighed. “Great. Now what?”

“We wait.” Alexx sighed.


	2. Making the Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A diagnosis is made, along with some tough decisions.

Eric went and parked the car, while the other two waited. Then the three of them took the elevator to the fourth floor. Alexx moved toward the nurse's desk. “We're here about Horatio Caine. He was just admitted. ER said they'd be bringing him here.”

The nurse tapped a few keys. “Doctor's with him right now. They just brought him up.”

“Thanks. Can you tell me anything yet?” Alexx's face was concerned. She knew it was unrealistic to expect results that fast, but she couldn't help asking the question.

“I'm afraid it's too early. However, you're welcome to wait. We'll know soon.” The nurse smiled. “Are there any members of his family present?”

“Yeah.” Eric stepped forward. “He's my brother-in-law. I'm Eric Delko.”

“Understood sir. We'll let you know as soon as we have any information.” The nurse gave him a polite nod, then went back to her work. The three officers looked at each other, then turned back to the waiting area.

Frank waited until they were a fair distance from the desk before giving Eric a look of approval. “Very smooth, Delko.”

“Yeah, well, it's not like I lied. Besides...I don't think H actually has any other family in the area.” Eric's face was tense.

The amusement vanished from Frank's face. “There's Yelina...but you got a point.” He glanced down the hall, then back at Alexx. “Any idea what happened?”

“Not a clue. I knew he looked a little sick, but I figured it wasn't that bad.” Alexx bit her lip. Then her gaze shifted to the CSI beside her. “Eric, you don't think he was poisoned or something, do you?”

“I don't see how that could have happened.” Eric made a helpless gesture. “He works long hours, he's unpredictable as hell. Never stops moving, spends most of his time in the lab...he's probably one of the hardest people to poison I ever met. The only things he handles consistently are his sunglasses, his badge, and his gun, and I've never heard of him taking them off or leaving them anywhere. If I didn't know better, I'd say he super-glued them to his body.” A small grin cracked his face, and an answering grin touched Frank and Alexx.

Then Frank sighed. “Still doesn't explain how he got this way.”

“Yeah. I've got a thought about that.” Eric's eyes were thoughtful. He flipped out his phone and began scrolling through it. “H just got back from that one case in New York, working with Mac on that multi-state kidnapping ring.” He found the number he was looking for and hit the call button. “Maybe there's something up there that could explain this.”

The phone rang for a few moments, then clicked. “Mac Taylor.”

Eric put the phone to his ear. “Hey, Mac. This is Delko...Miami. Yeah, nice to talk to you too.” He paused. “No, no, nothing like that. It's not a case exactly. Yeah. Listen...when H was up there last week, on that national kidnap case, was there anything else going on?” Eric paused. “No, I don't mean like another case. I mean, did H get hit with something, or was anyone sick?” He stopped, listening intently. “Yeah. Really? How bad?” A frown crossed his features. “Yeah, that's rough. Yeah, I hope they get better soon. Listen...did H work with either of them? He did? Okay thanks.” He stopped and his voice got softer. “Yeah, H is sick. We just got him to a doctor, about twenty minutes ago. Too soon to tell. Yeah, I'll let him know. Thanks Mac.” Then he clicked the phone shut.

Frank stared at him. “So? What did he say?”

Eric made a face. “Autumn down here isn't much different from anything else, but up there, it's prime flu and pneumonia season. Mac says two of his team got seriously ill last week. One had to make an emergency trip, still out on bed rest. H was working with both of them around the time they started getting ill, too.”

“Great.” Frank made a face. “So he's got either the flu or pneumonia, and it's had an additional week to build up.”

“Yeah.” Alexx grimaced. “Miami's not exactly a place where you see a lot of that. He probably doesn't have as many immunities to it as the New York crew. This ain't good.”

“We'll just have to see what the doctor says about it.” Eric sighed.

An hour later, a slender man in medical scrubs came striding down the hallway. He stopped in front of them. “Mr. Delko?”

“That's me.” Eric rose from his chair.

“I've got the results for Mr. Horatio Caine.” The man held out his hand. “I'm Dr. Reynolds.”

“Nice to meet you.” Eric shook his hand. “So, can you tell me anything?”

“I can. It's not good, but it could have been worse.” Reynolds' gaze flicked to Alex. “You're a doctor?”

“ME, yes. Fully certified.” Alex nodded.

Reynolds nodded. “You did a great job. That cooling blanket probably saved his life. The short version is...it's a form of pneumonia, one of the more dangerous strains.” He sighed. “We don't usually see this down here.”

“He was just up in New York on business. Came back over the weekend.” Eric spoke softly. “I talked to his contact up there, they had a couple people come down with something similar.”

“Well, that explains it. Also...he does have a concussion, a moderate one, from where he hit his head. We ran the scans, and it doesn't look like there's any damage or cracked bone, but he'll probably have a hell of a headache when he wakes up, whenever that is.”

“You don't know when he'll wake up?” Frank sounded worried.

“No, we don't. Besides the head injury, there's the illness. As I said, this is a pretty dangerous form of pneumonia. It builds in the body for a while, mimics a natural cold or allergies, then explodes into the system. He probably didn't really have a fever until right before he collapsed. Once it hit though...it skyrocketed. An hour later, or if you hadn't thought to try and cool him down, and he might have gone into cardiac arrest. As it is, we've got his temperature mostly stabilized and we're trying to cool him down a bit. I've started him on antibiotics, and an IV to try and rehydrate him. As for the rest of it...we're just going to have to wait it out.”

“How long are we talking about?” Eric frowned.

“Hard to say. It'll be a week, minimum, before we can tell. For a full recovery...anywhere between two weeks and a month. Possibly longer. Depends on how fast he comes out of the fever, whether or not any additional symptoms present.”

“Additional symptoms? Like what?” Frank was frowning as well.

“Well, some patients get severe nausea, but the most common side effects are restlessness, agitation, delirium. Also, there's a chance fluid could build up in his lungs, though we're hoping the antibiotics will prevent that. And of course, his head injury could make it worse on all counts.” Reynolds shook his head. “It's hard to say what will hit him. He might just be unconscious for a couple days. Or not. We really can't predict what course the illness is going to take at this point.”

Frank's jaw tensed. “So...can we take him home?”

Reynolds blinked. “Well, I'd advise against it. With his condition this serious....”

“Yeah, I get it. So...what would we need to do, if we took him home?”

“He'd need round the clock care. You'd have to keep him hydrated, get his medication into his system, keep him cooled down, monitor his heart rate, constantly.” Reynolds looked agitated himself. “It's really not wise for someone in this state to be out of the hospital.”

“I got it.” Frank's eyes slipped to his companions. “Alexx, Eric, can I talk to you a minute?”

“Sure.” Alexx nodded. She gave her medical colleague a quick glance. “Sorry doctor. Just give us a second.”

“No problem.” Reynolds offered her a quick smile. “I'll just go make my rounds, and come back in a bit.”

“Thanks.” Alexx nodded, then watched as the slender man turned away and strode down the hall. When he was safely out of earshot, she turned back to the homicide detective. “Frank, what's this about?”

“I think we need to get Horatio out of here.” Frank's eyes were dark.

“I guessed that. But why?” Eric shifted. “The facilities here are pretty good, and if he needs round the clock care...that'd be pretty difficult. I mean, it's not like there's someone we can call.”

“I'm sure the rest of the team can help out. And maybe Yelina. She's back in town. She should be able to help.”

“Frank...what's this about?” Alexx fixed the bigger man with a stern stare. “Why do want to take him out of here?”

“A lot of reasons.” Frank shifted. “First of all, Horatio hates hospitals. Says he goes in enough to see victims, without having to be a patient himself. Nearly blew himself up once, on the bomb squad, still wouldn't go.” He snorted.

“Yeah, well, by the time he's coherent enough to mind, he'll probably be cleared to be released.” Eric made a face.

“Yeah, I know. That ain't the main reason.” Discomfort twitched the corner of Frank's face. “Doc said Horatio was gonna be laid up anywhere from two weeks to a month, right?”

“Yeah.” Alexx nodded. “So?”

“Alexx, we can't protect him here for that long. Not without a lot of trouble.” Frank met her gaze, then Eric's. “You both know as well as I do, Horatio's got a list of enemies a mile long and meaner than gators. And that's just the ones we know about. God knows how many others he has. If word gets out that he's down sick, how many you think will try to finish what this started?”

“A lot of them could try.” Eric frowned.

“Yeah, and if we post guards, or anything like that, people will get curious.” Frank made a disgusted face. “That Erica Sykes chick would probably think it was the story of the century. 'Horatio Caine, down at last' or some such nonsense. Before you know it, rumors would be all over the streets. Everything from bullet wounds to muggings to accusations of drug overdoses. Horatio doesn't need that.”

“You've got a point.” Alexx studied him a moment, then folded her arms. “There's something you aren't telling us, Frank Tripp. Out with it.”

Frank shifted uncomfortably, glancing down the hallway in both directions. Then he stepped a bit closer. “This stays between us.”

“I'll take it to the grave.” Alexx nodded.

“You know I won't say a word.” Eric's eyes met his colleagues. “What is it?”

Frank shifted again. “I've gotten a little drunk a few times. Not when I was married, but before and after. When that happens, Horatio usually lets me borrow his couch for a night, to sleep it off. So I don't drive or do anything stupid.”

Eric grinned. “I'll bet.”

“Watch it.” Frank shot him a glance. “Point is...there's been a couple times, I got up in the middle of the night, and I heard him. Nightmares. Bad ones, I think.” He shivered. “I didn't go check. Just the way he sounded from down the hall was enough.” He shivered again. “I never told him, figured that wasn't something he wanted to discuss. To be honest, I didn't want to discuss it either. But...if he's likely to be delirious, or unconscious a while...there's a chance that could happen again.”

“You're worried how he'll feel if he's overheard?” Alexx frowned. “Doctor-patient confidentiality...”

“Doesn't cover nurses who gossip, or other patients who happen to overhear things. Trust me...what I've heard him say in his sleep...this isn't something that should be exposed. I think it's better if we can limit who can hear him. That's the real reason I want him home, where us and the team and Yelina can keep an eye on him. He'll probably still be embarrassed as hell, but at least he'll be with people he might feel he can trust.” Frank met Alexx's eyes.

Eric frowned. “You're right.”

Alexx blinked. “Eric...”

“Think about it Alexx. Speed, Marisol, Ray, Brazil...all the things Horatio knows. Everything he's seen. The rest of us detox a little, but he's got it bad. We all know that. You've seen the way he looks at victims, at crime scenes.” Eric met the ME's eyes. “Not to mention everything we don't know. I mean, it's not like he opens up a lot, but we all know he's had a rough time, before any of us came along. You really want to risk exposing all that to someone who doesn't understand him? Who won't understand what he's been through? How he feels?”

Alexx pursed her lips, glancing down the hallway. She didn't like the idea of taking him out of the hospital, not as obviously ill as he was. But both men had a point. Frank was right about the numbers of enemies the CSI had collected over the years, and the media attention he'd get if they discovered he was ill. Eric was right about the rest of it. She glanced back at the two men. “I gotta make a call.”

“A call?” Frank raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. A call. No way am I letting you amateurs tend a sick man without me keeping an eye on you. But if he's gonna be out this long, then I need to apply for personal time off. Right now.” She pointed to Eric. “You'd better make your own calls, Eric. If you want the team to help out with this crazy scheme, you'd better start making plans, cause it's gonna be tough.” Her gaze shifted to Frank. “You too.”

Frank grinned. “Yes ma'am.”

Reynolds came back a few minutes later. “Have you reached a decision yet, regarding the patient?”

Alexx stepped forward. “Yeah. I'm gonna ask you to release him to my care. With Mr. Delko's approval.” She gestured to Eric, who nodded. “And before you get too worried, I do know what I'm doing. If you'll let me buy a few things, or rent them to me out of the stores, we'll be set. I'll need an IV stand at least.”

“I understand.” Reynolds looked unhappy. “But I have to say, I highly recommend you leave him where he is.”

“I know you do, Doctor. Believe me, if it were any other patient, I wouldn't be going along with this.” Alexx sighed.

Reynolds shifted. “Can I at least ask what your problem is with our facilities?”

Alexx smiled compassionately. The doctor was a good man. “Doctor, there ain't nothing wrong with your facilities. I'm absolutely sure this is a first class hospital, and I'll be happy to send you any other patient I encounter. Matter of fact, half the lab swears by you guys. But this guy's a special case. And it isn't your facilities that are the problem, it's the nature of the patient.” She let a grin quirk her mouth. “Trust me, you keep him here, you'll get nothing but trouble outta him.”

“I'm used to troublesome patients.” In spite of his tone, she saw Reynolds relax a little, soothed by her compliments and her banter.

“Troublesome doesn't even begin to describe him.” Alexx shook her head. “I've known the man for years, and if he didn't have a concussion right now, I'm not sure I could handle him.”

Frank stepped forward. “I'll second that. Man's a mean son of a gun when he's down. Aside from that...” Frank shifted. “Horatio Caine is a highly recognized CSI. We're concerned that leaving him here may present a risk to your other patients, or bring the danger of unwanted publicity. I'm sure you'd prefer not to have the trouble on your hands.”

Reynolds held his gaze for a moment, then nodded. “If you're sure.” He checked his charts. “I'd like to get his temperature down to 100 at least, out of the danger zone, and get his pulse to a more reasonable rate. Once that's done, I'll release him to your care, Doctor...” He glanced at Alexx.

“Alexx Woods. MDPD Medical Examiner.” She held out her hand.

“Right. Dr. Woods. If you'll come with me, we'll get the equipment together for Mr. Caine's home care. Also, I'd like to exchange contact information in case of an emergency, and discuss any back-up plans we might need to address.”

“Of course. Makes perfect sense.” Alexx fixed Frank and Eric with a steely look. “You two stay here. Stay out of trouble, and if you haven't finished making calls to the team, do it.”

“Of course. We're on it.” Eric grinned and saluted.

*****TiS*****

Calliegh arrived an hour later, Ryan in tow. “Eric. How is he?”

“Better. His temperature's come down a little and his heartbeat is stable. Doctor's thinking we'll be able to take him home in the next hour or so. How's the lab?”

“Natalia and I covered everything, with Ryan's help. It should be fine for a little while. Ryan and I are technically on lunch break. Word just came down that Alexx applied for a leave of absence regarding a family emergency, so that's covered. The rest of us will have to work on our schedules.” She glanced at Eric. “Did anyone call in for Horatio?”

Eric nodded. “I did. I called the Chief. Told him the basics, that Horatio was ill and took a bad fall, and that the doctor said he'd be out for a while.” he met Calleigh's eyes. “He said to remind you that as senior CSI, you're in charge of the lab until Horatio returns.”

“Right. I'd almost forgotten about that.” Calleigh sighed. “So, how are we going to handle this?”

“Well, we're gonna need Alexx along to do the medical stuff.” Frank sighed. “She'll insist on it anyway. Aside from that..I'm thinking just me, Eric and Ryan for getting him home.”

Calliegh folded her arms. “And why just you three? The girls can handle things just fine, you know.” She gave Frank a cool look.

Eric grinned. “It isn't like that, Calliegh.”

“Then explain.” She transferred the look to him.

“It's cause of Horatio.” Frank shuffled his feet a little. “He might not be awake to notice, but I guarantee, he'd be damned embarrassed to be undressed and put to bed by a bunch of women, even lovely ladies like you.” Frank sighed, chewing a lip. “He'll probably be embarrassed anyway, but it's just one of his quirks. Think it might go over better this way.”

Calliegh stared at him, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “You said over the phone he was unconscious, and probably going to stay that way for a while.”

“Yeah, but you know he'll ask. You really want to lie to him? Always assuming he doesn't catch you at it.” Frank held her gaze, then a small quirk touched his own mouth. “Besides, ever known Horatio to do a damn thing the way he's supposed to?”

“Only when he thinks IAB is investigating, and not always then.” Calliegh smirked. “Your point is made. I'll let you get away with it this time, but we will be sharing the nursing duty. He'll just have to put up with it. And I reserve the right to deal with any emergency as needed.”

“Sure, sure. Wouldn't dream of trying to stop you.” Eric grinned again. “You'd probably just shoot us.”

“Darn right.” Calliegh answered his grin with her own. Then her gaze shifted to look over his shoulder. “Alexx. Any news?”

“Yeah.” The ME sighed as she joined the group. “Horatio's as stable as they can get him. Doctor Reynolds is filling out prescriptions and taking care of the paperwork while the IV finishes running it's course on him. Other than that, we're all set to transfer him.” She gave Eric a thick stack of forms. “These are for you to sign, as his closest available kin.” Eric nodded. Frank handed him a pen, and he began leafing through the forms, stopping every so often to scrawl his signature.

“That's great.” Ryan shifted his feet. “So...are we putting him back in the Hummer?”

Alexx raised an eyebrow. “Ryan, honey, you gotta be out of your mind. We're borrowing a medical van and a stretcher for him.”

“That's good. Means Eric can drive Frank, and you and I can take the van.”

Alexx's gaze swung to the blonde standing beside her. “You're not gonna help, Calliegh?”

Calleigh gave her a quick smile. “I wanted to, but Frank brought up a good point. It'll embarrass Horatio too much. Natalia and I will come by later.”

“All right.” Alexx frowned. “That just leaves one question. How are we gonna get Horatio in the house?” her gaze flicked to Eric. “Know where his keys are?”

“In his pocket. They're probably still on him. But...” Eric shuffled, looking down the hall. “I've got a key to H's place. It was in Marisol's personal effects. I think he knows, but he never said anything, so I just sort of kept it.”

“Yeah. I got a key too.” Frank made a face. “In case of an emergency. But mostly because he usually leaves before I do, when I stay at his place, and he doesn't like to leave the door unlocked.”

“I don't care, as long as we can get him in the house. I'm assuming both of you know how to get there.” Alexx raised an eyebrow.

Frank snorted. “Well, yeah.”

“Good.” Alexx sighed. “I still can't believe I agreed to this.”

Calliegh grinned. “But we did. So we might as well make the best of it.” She tossed her head, getting the hair out of her eyes. “So...if the guys are gonna take the first shift, how do we split it up? I mean, we're all gonna need sleep, and to work.”

“Staggered shifts, honey. Rotate out every four to six hours, if you can.” Alexx met her eyes. “Eight's a possibility, but it'll be tough, especially if you have an active case.”

“Yeah, well, there's...” Eric looked around. “seven of us, including Yelina. So we should be able to make it work At least with six hour shifts. Four hour, and we'll be pretty thin.”

“Has anyone called Yelina?” Calliegh frowned. “She should be here.”

“I did.” Frank held up a phone. “But I told her our plans, and she said she'd let us handle the transfer and all while she gets things settled with her son. Thought that would be best. Besides...Ray Jr and Horatio are pretty close. Kid'll probably want to help.”

“That's good. We can ask him to cover swing shifts, or in an emergency.” Calliegh nodded. “All right. We'll have to coordinate as we go. In the meantime...I'll leave you boys to it, and see you around dinner time.”

“You boys, huh? And what am I, a stuffed cat?” Alexx gave her a mock-stern look.

“Of course not.” Calleigh grinned back. “You're the boss. I'm just gonna let the guys do the grunt work.”

“Got that right.” Alexx returned the smile.

Thirty minutes later, Reynolds rejoined the group. “All right. He's stable and ready to be moved.” He turned to Alexx. “The IV kit is stowed under the cart with the portable monitoring equipment, so you won't forget it. You have my number if anything comes up.”

“Yes sir. And one of us will return your van this evening.”

“Thank you.” Reynolds turned as two orderlies wheeled out a stretcher, and still, red-haired form lying wrapped gently in the sheets. “Best of luck with him, Dr. Woods.” He turned back, and a gentle smile touched his features. “Tell Lieutenant Caine...we're all awaiting his safe recovery.”

Alexx studied him a moment. “Horatio's been here, hasn't he? You've met him. He's helped one of your patients.” Reynolds nodded, smile still on his face. Alexx smiled back. “I'll pass on your wishes.” Then she turned back to the silent figure on the gurney and patted his shoulder gently. “Come on, Horatio baby, let's get you home.”

Frank grinned. “That's something you don't hear him called every day. Wish I had a recording.”

Eric laughed. “We'll tell him when he wakes. For now, let's just take him home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll admit to taking some liberties with the hospital procedures. For anyone who's wondering, the pneumonia is a real thing, unfortunately. I had the joy of experiencing this strain, minus the concussion, when I was younger. Write what you know and all that...


	3. Unease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team gets Horatio home and settled.

Twenty minutes later, the two vehicles pulled up at a small house, just off the beach. Ryan stepped out of the medical van and stared. He blinked, then looked at the two men emerging from the Hummer. “This is Horatio's place?”

Frank snorted, coming over to open the door to the medical van. “Sure. What, you thought he lived at CSI or something?”

“No.” Ryan shuffled, looking embarrassed. “It's just...it's a bit bigger than I thought. I always thought of Horatio as more of an apartment kind of guy.” He studied the house. “I mean, he's single, he works most of the time, I've never heard of him having much of a social life outside of the office. It just seems...a little bigger than I expected.”

Frank pulled the stretcher from the van and gently lowered it to the ground. Eric and Alexx steadied the sides. Lying motionless on the gurney, Horatio didn't even stir as the front wheels thumped gently onto the pavement. The detective sighed, brushed his hands off, and looked at the house. “It's because of Yelina.”

“What?” Ryan blinked.

“Yelina.” Frank met the younger CSI's gaze. “You know, his brother's wife. Horatio bought a house so he'd have somewhere comfortable for her, or Ray, or Ray Jr to stay if they needed. After a while, he got into the habit of using it as a safe house in an emergency too.”

Eric blinked up at the house. “Yeah. Marisol mentioned it. She used to stay here sometimes.”

Alexx sighed. “Can we discuss this later? If we leave him out here, he's gonna overheat again.”

“Right.” Eric stepped forward, pulling a key-chain from his pocket. He strode up the steps, then pulled a key from the bundle and turned it in the lock. He pushed the door open and stuck his head in the door. “Hallway's clear.”

Frank and Alexx grabbed the sides of the gurney. Ryan followed behind. He frowned at his superior's still form. “Alexx...is he okay?”

Alexx shot him a look. “Of course not. But he isn't enough worse to panic, if that's what you're asking.”

Moving carefully, the three of them pushed the stretcher up the walk, lifted it over the door-frame, and into the house. Frank gestured with his chin. “Horatio's room is in the back. Down the hall.”

Eric and Alexx carefully steered the stretcher through the doorways. Ryan and Frank followed. Ryan looked around as they walked. One doorway opened to a living room, and a kitchen alcove off to one side. Another door had a guest bedroom, and another led to a small office and library. There was also a small guest bathroom to one side.

All of the rooms were neat, spare. The walls were painted in cool or neutral colors. The furniture was comfortable looking, and clean. The living room had a couch, small table, and a chair, as well as a moderately sized TV. The kitchen was just far enough from spotless to look lived in, but it was still very clean, no food wrappers or empty coffee cups. The office was uncluttered, with a medium-sized desk. There were bookshelves everywhere, books and journals placed neatly on them. Ryan blinked. “This place is so organized.”

“Yeah, well, you've seen his office. Did you think he'd be any different here?”

Ryan blinked. “There's practically nothing in his office.”

“Yeah, well, it used to be that way here too, but Yelina kind of insisted he at least get furniture.” Frank grinned. “She made him set this place up, but H picked his own stuff. Understand from her that it was quite an experience.”

“I'll bet. At least he's got decent taste.” Ryan looked into the bathroom, noting the clean tub and toilet, the towel folded neatly over the rack. “And his house-keeping skills are almost as good as mine.”

Frank shrugged. “Don't know where he gets that.” He gave the younger CSI a small, quirked grin. “He can actually cook too. Don't ask me how.”

“Frank.” Eric stuck his head out of the room at the end of the hall. “We could use your help in here.”

“Coming. Come on Ryan.” Frank gestured.

The bedroom was modestly sized, like everything else in the house. There were two doors to either side, one that opened partially to reveal a walk-in closet, the other that opened to reveal a nicely sized bathroom. The bed was a double, slightly rumpled, the first sign of untidiness in the place. There were two small bookshelves, a nightstand, and a three level chest-of-drawers. The rest of the room exhibited the same tidy lack of clutter as the rest of the house.

Frank looked at the ME tapping her foot, her arms folded and a no-nonsense expression on her face. “Let me guess, you want me to get him on the bed.”

“You got it. Then you three can take care of getting him changed, while I unload the equipment from the stretcher.” She put a hand carefully on Horatio's forehead, then checked his pulse. “He's still good for the moment. Anything happens to change that, you holler for me before you stop to take another breath. Got it?”

“Yes ma'am.” Frank stepped over and gently unwound the hospital sheets from Horatio's body. The CSI appeared to be sleeping peacefully, but he was warm to the touch. Frank looked up. “What's his temp?”

“Doctors got it down to 100.5, last I checked. Wouldn't go any lower without giving him chills.” Alexx's eyes were dark with concern. “Be careful with his head Frank.”

“You got it.” Carefully, Frank lifted Horatio into his arms, making sure his head leaned against his shoulder as he straightened. “God, he looks like a kid. Last time I held someone like this, it was my ten year old daughter.”

“Maybe I should take a picture. 'Unexpected Father and Son'.” Eric chuckled, and Ryan coughed, unsuccessfully trying to choke back laughter. Even Alexx grinned.

“Not a chance.” Frank shot the CSI a quick grin, then shifted and bent over to awkwardly lay the red-haired man on the bed. Horatio rolled into the sheets, limp as a rag, arms and legs dropping loosely across the mattress. Frank snorted. “Sleeps like a kid too.” He looked up at the ME standing nearby. “We'll take it from here. Call you when he's ready, or if we need you.”

“Good.” Alexx nodded, then shoved the stretcher out of the room.

Ryan studied the still form. A frown appeared on his face. “Umm...so, who's going to undress him? And how, exactly? I mean...he's not really in a position to help.”

Frank snorted. “Come on Wolfe. You can't tell me you never helped in autopsy, or took a jacket off a suspect or unconscious guy to make an ID.”

“No, I have.” Ryan shifted defensively. “It's just...it's never been someone I liked or respected. Hell, it's usually not even someone I know. And this...well, it's Horatio.” He made a face, expressing discomfort, then gestured. “You wanna do it?”

Frank looked away, his expression uncomfortable, absently chewing the inside of his cheek.

Eric stepped forward. “I'll do it.” He reached over, undid the shoes, and slipped them off Horatio's feet, repeating the procedure with the socks, unclipping Horatio's back-up weapon as he did so. “Put these somewhere, will you?”

Ryan stared. “This doesn't bother you?” His voice was incredulous, and faintly disapproving. “You're stripping our boss, and it doesn't bother you.”

Eric made a face. “H would do the same thing for me if he had to. Besides...” He swallowed, his hand stilling for a moment. “I used to have to help Marisol sometimes. If you want uncomfortable, try helping your adult sister undress sometime.” He gave Ryan a brief grin. “Now that's embarrassing.”

“I'll bet.” Frank took the shoes, and socks, tossed the socks into a small basket. “He's got a laundry hamper somewhere. We'll figure it out later. Wolfe, help me find his sleep clothes.”

“Sleep clothes?” Ryan's eyebrow went up. Most people he knew wore as little as they could get away with to bed. In Miami, the temperature was usually either hot or comfortable. But more than that, the idea of going through Horatio's clothing and personal things...

“Yeah, I know.” Frank looked back at him, then sighed and looked away. “I know he wears them because I surprised him cooking breakfast in them once or twice.” He glanced back at the younger man. “When he had a day off.”

“I don't even wanna know.” Ryan sighed. “So, what am I looking for? Pajamas?”

“Nah. Just sweats and a T-shirt, I think. Check the drawers over there.” Frank gestured, then stepped into the closet.

Ryan pulled open the upper drawer. Socks. He pulled open the second drawer to find briefs, and shut it quickly. The third drawer.... “Got it.” He held up a pair of navy blue sweat pants and a t-shirt.

Eric had pulled off Horatio's badge and gun and passed them to Frank, then emptied Horatio's pockets and removed his belt. The medics had given him Horatio's jacket instead of putting it back on the CSI. That left his shirt and pants.

Carefully, Eric supported Horatio's head, then used his other hand to roll the older man onto his back. Then he shifted to the foot of the bed and reached up to undo the zipper and buttons. Horatio stirred slightly and Eric froze, waiting to see if the other man awakened. Horatio didn't open his eyes, and after a moment, he settled. Eric shifted his weight, then pulled gently on the waistband. As soon as the pants slipped downward, he moved his grip to the hemline, and pulled them the rest of the way off. He handed the clothing to Frank, then gestured. “Ryan, give me those.”

“Sure.” Ryan passed him the sweats. “You know, this is seriously weird, watching you do this.”

Eric looked up. “I know. It feels seriously weird to be doing it. I mean...” He cracked a brief grin. “I'd prefer doing this to a girl.”

“Yeah, yeah. We know. But right now, what's weird for me is seeing H in a suit shirt and his underwear. Not the best view on the planet, so if you could get on with it, Delko.” Frank shuffled uncomfortably, though both CSI's saw the grin on the corner of his mouth.

“Right.” Eric turned back. With gentle movements, he got the legs of the pants onto Horatio's body, and edged them upward until they were in place. Then he took Horatio's arm, and unsnapped the cuff buttons. He undid the other cuff, then began working his way down the buttons of the shirt. He was halfway down when he spotted something. He stopped.

“Something wrong?” Frank spoke softly. “Do I need to call Alexx?”

“I don't think so. It's just...there's something odd.” Eric finished undoing the rest of the buttons, then brushed the fabric lightly, almost hesitantly aside. “Frank.”

The homicide detective moved forward. Ryan did too. Eric looked up into Frank's face. “You know anything about this?”

“About what?” Frank blinked.

“About this.” Eric pushed the shirt the rest of the way off, revealing Horatio's chest and abdomen.

“Sweet Jesus.” Frank swallowed. From the other side, Ryan made an involuntary noise of surprise.

Horatio's upper body was marked by scars. Low on his rib cage were a few that looked like old knife wounds. But...there were others. Light thin slashes, across his chest. Deeper, longer wounds as well, all old. Others on his shoulders. Frank swallowed again. Eric stared at the markings, his face twisted in a mix of shock, horror and pity. “This...” He stopped, uncertain what to say.

“Yeah.” Frank bit his lip, then looked up. “Did you check the rest of him?”

“Not yet.” Eric slid the shirt off the thin shoulders, then down his arms. “Look at this. His arms too.”

“Yeah.” Ryan had come out of his shocked daze. He looked at Horatio's forearm. “These...they look like they were defensive.”

“Explains a lot about the suits. He didn't want anyone to see these.” Frank sighed. “Can you...lift him partially upright?”

“Yeah.” Eric lifted Horatio's body gently, and slipped the shirt off onto the floor.

Frank's jaw clenched. “His back too. He's all marked up.”

Ryan's jaw twitched in a mirror image. “So, what do we do?”

“I'll tell you what we do.” Eric shifted his grip. “Wolfe, give me the shirt.” Ryan handed him the clothing. Eric carefully slipped it onto Horatio's arms, then over his head. He settled the shirt, then laid the other man down. Then he stood and gently covered Horatio with a sheet and looked at the other two. “We leave this alone.”

“Seriously?” Ryan stared at him. “Eric, you saw those scars.”

“Yeah. I did. And I know H doesn't want anyone to see them.” Eric met his colleague's gaze. “Whatever happened to him, this is H's business. If he hasn't told us about it...then we should probably respect that.”

Frank folded his arms and exchanged a look with Ryan, then shrugged. “He's got a point.” He looked back at the unconscious man. “He's been in Miami for over ten years, and he didn't get those here. And I never even guessed before today. He's made a lot of effort to hide that, whatever it is, and he's been doing it a while. That means it's personal. Really personal.” He met Ryan's eyes again. “I'm gonna have to side with Eric on this one.”

“Fine.” Ryan ran a hand through his hair. “Do we tell the others?”

“Nope. Although...we might ask Yelina if she knows about it. See if there's anything we need to watch out for.” Frank sighed again.

“I disagree. I think we need to warn them.” Eric swallowed. “I don't mean tell them exactly, but warn them that there's something wrong.” he glanced at Frank. “You know Calliegh and Natalia. How do you think they'll react if they see this?”

“They'll want answers.” Frank made a face. “Right. We'll warn the others but keep this as low key as possible.” He glanced back at Horatio's sleeping face again. “I sure as hell hope he doesn't go delirious on us. Otherwise, I get the feeling we're all gonna find out more than we want to know.”

“I already have.” Eric swallowed again, his expression strained. “We'd better call Alexx. She's probably chafing by now, wondering what's taking us so long.”

“I'll get her.” Frank stuck his head through the door. “Hey, Alexx.”

“Finally.” The ME stepped into the room, carrying a monitor, an IV bag and tubes. “I was just about to check on you guys. Honestly...it doesn't take that long.”

“Maybe not for you.” Eric grinned. “I don't undress bodies for a living. Besides...undressing H? That's just weird.”

“Well, you got a point about that.” Alexx strolled over, and brushed the red hair out of the unconscious man's eyes. “Horatio, honey?”

He didn't respond. Alexx sighed. “Still out cold. Well, makes my job a little easier.” With brisk efficiency, she set up a cardiac monitor on the nightstand, plugged it in, and slipped the cuffs and clips onto Horatio's arm. At the feel of the pressure cuff on his arm, Horatio moaned and shifted, an abortive movement to draw away. Alexx laid a hand on his arm. “It's okay, Horatio. It's okay.” The man stilled under her hand. Alexx frowned at the skin of his arm. “Did you see this?”

Eric saw that her fingers rested on one of the scars. “Yeah, we saw it Alexx.” He took the ME's hand gently. “Look, H has a few scars, from before he came to Miami.” He held Alexx's gaze. “We were going to tell the rest of the team so they wouldn't be surprised, but we think that it's something personal, so we planned to leave it alone.”

“I hear you.” Alexx nodded. “My lips are sealed.” She glanced back at the sleeping man. “I just got one question. Is this why you wanted him out of the hospital?”

Eric sighed. “No. Honestly, Alexx, none of us knew about this until a few minutes ago. Could be nothing...or it could be tied to why he has nightmares.”

Alexx met his eyes. “There's something you aren't telling me.”

Eric sighed again, a small smile touching his features. “Sometimes, you are way too perceptive.”

“It's my job. Out with it.” Alexx folded her arms.

“The injuries are pretty extensive.” Eric shifted, the brief flash of humor dying out of his eyes. “Look...I don't know what happened, but...whatever it was, it was probably pretty bad. I don't want to push H too much, and I don't want to take advantage of his illness to find out things he'd rather not tell us. That's all. But if he gets delirious...”

“I know, Eric honey.” Alexx patted his face. “I'll do the best I can. You want me to warn Calliegh and the others?”

“Yeah. If you can, that would be great.” Eric let a small grin lift one corner of his mouth. “Thanks Alexx.”

“For you and Horatio, baby, anything I can do.” She glanced back at the patient. “I'm gonna finish hooking him up, and then I'll get back to the lab, finish up my work. Don't forget, you've still got his case to solve too.”

“Right.” Eric grinned. He glanced his sleeping boss. Then he frowned thoughtfully, remembering something Marisol had told him. “Hey, were you gonna run an IV?” His sister had told him when Horatio started accompanying her to the chemo sessions. She'd also mentioned that she liked having him there, but she found it amusing that he always left or looked away when they put the needle in her arm.

“Unless you got a better idea on how to keep him hydrated.” Alexx looked at him.

“Why don't you let me try something I used to do with Marisol. Might be a little easier for him.” He glanced up at the ME with a smile. “Marisol told me once, H doesn't like needles. And we're supposed to be keeping him as comfortable as possible, right?”

“Whatever you say.” Alexx shrugged. She finished setting up the scanner, then pulled the pillows, rearranging them until Horatio was propped up, rather than lying flat. She pulled out a syringe, tapped it, then injected the contents into Horatio's shoulder. “That should hold him for his medication until morning.” She glanced at the clock, then turned back to Eric. “Better show me what you were planning to do about the liquid situation.”

Eric nodded, then looked up at Frank. “Do you know where H keeps his cups and spoons?”

“Sure.” Frank disappeared, then returned with a cup full of water, and a spoon. “Here.”

Eric settled on the edge of the bed, then slid his arm carefully under Horatio's shoulders and neck, lifting him slightly. His hand came around, and gently eased his superior's mouth open. Then he dipped a spoonful of water from the cup, set it carefully to Horatio's lips, and tipped the liquid in, rubbing the man's throat gently. Horatio swallowed convulsively. Eric repeated the procedure until Horatio shifted restlessly away from the spoon, coughing lightly. He glanced at the cup. About half the water was gone. He looked up. “Think that will do?”

“Yeah. But you've got to repeat it every half an hour for it to be effective.” Alexx held his gaze.

“We will.” Eric nodded.

“All right.” Alexx packed up the equipment bags she hadn't used. “I'm gonna take the medical van back to the hospital, then Calliegh can pick me up. I have work to finish. You boys remember the rules. Keep him quiet, keep him as cool as possible, keep him hydrated. And if anything happens, call me.”

“We got it.” Tripp nodded.

“Good enough.” Alexx turned and left, leaving the three men to their vigil.


	4. Nursing Shifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrangements are made, information shared.

Once Alexx's footsteps had vanished, the three officers glanced at each other. Then Frank shifted his weight. “You two stand there if you like. I'm gonna go get a couple chairs.”

“Right. I'll help.” Ryan left with the other man, and both of them returned a few moments later, carrying an office chair and two kitchen chairs. Ryan opted for the far side of the bed, Frank for the side nearest the door, and Eric perched at Horatio's head. Ryan settled, then looked at his colleague. “So Eric...that thing you did with the water...where did you learn to do that?”

Eric grinned, briefly. “Marisol. When she first got sick...I nursed her through a lot of stuff. And chemo used to make her so tired. So I learned to do a lot of stuff like that, to take care of her.” He glanced at the still form beside him. “You know, she taught H too.”

“Figures. That's something he'd learn just because, even before his heart got involved.” Frank grinned. “I ain't even gonna try. Too clumsy and impatient for that kind of thing.”

Ryan shifted. “I'd like to. Do you think that would be a problem?” he looked at Eric.

“No. You just gotta have a light touch. But the way you handle evidence...no, shouldn't be an issue. Besides, the more people who know how, the easier this will be.” Eric grinned at his younger teammate. “Tell you what, next time, you can try it.”

“Okay. Thanks.” Ryan settled back in his chair. “So...what do we do the rest of the time? Just watch him?”

“Well yeah. That is what we're here for.” Frank had shrugged out of his jacket and settled comfortably in the chair.

Ryan shifted. “I know. Just...seems kinda weird.” He glanced around. “Almost makes me wish I'd brought some paperwork or something with me. Or that H had a TV in his bedroom.” He cocked his head. “You know...we could move the one from the living room...”

“Not a chance. You wanna see Horatio annoyed, mess with his furniture. Besides...wiring isn't my strong suit.” Frank shook his head. “Here, if you're so bored, I got something to keep you busy.” He reached back, fished in a pocket, and pulled out a deck of cards. “Figured we could use these to keep ourselves outta trouble.”

Eric's eyebrow went up. “You brought a deck of cards. What, are those standard issue for homicide detectives now?”

“Of course not, wise-ass.” Frank snorted. “Nicked 'em out of his study. He keeps a pack there. Horatio likes the occasional card game. Never gambles, which is a shame, 'cause he has a damn good poker face, and he's a mean player.” Frank made a face. “We used to bet stupid stuff, like car washes and house projects on the game. I quit after I realized I'd racked up three months worth of favors and five rounds at the bar, with nothing to show for it but the smirk on his face.”

Ryan blinked. “Horatio drinks?” He turned his head to frown contemplatively at his superior. “I've never seen him go near alcohol.”

“He does though. He and Marisol would share wine for dinner.” Eric smiled, a little nostalgically. “Actually, that's a good way to tell if he's serious about a woman. He lets her make dinner, and has a glass of wine. Means he's comfortable enough to relax, and not too worried about having to drive home.” He smirked.

“Yeah, but he'd rather get shot than get drunk.” Frank made a face. “I got him drunk once, as a joke. He was stressed, and I thought it'd help him unwind. Brother, was that ever a mistake.” He shook his head. “Don't ask.”

“Not about to.” Silence fell between them, then Eric reached over to snag the deck. “So, who's up for some poker?”

The three men spent an amiable few hours playing, gathered around the foot of the bed, wagering minor, non-troublesome favors, like restocking kits, cleaning tools and washing cars. Every so often, one of them would break off to check Horatio's temperature, apply cooling cloths to his forehead, and carefully pour water down his throat.

Horatio barely responded. He would shift restlessly sometimes, or turn from the spoon when his thirst had been quenched, but that was all. The only sounds from him were his rough breathing, and the occasional muted groan, as if he were slightly uncomfortable. It was only normal sleep noise, but each twitch or sound would stop all three men in their tracks. Then he would settle back into his unconsciousness, and the others would go back to their game.

At a quarter till seven, the doorbell chimed. Eric rose and answered it, to find Calliegh on the doorstep. “Cal...”

She smiled. “I was going to call, but Alexx gave me the directions, so I just came on over.”

“That's fine.” He looked over her shoulder. “I thought Natalia was coming too.”

“She was, but we were swamped, especially with trying to cover for you guys. Natalia said she'd stay and finish up. Yelina's supposed to be here before eight though, so I won't be alone.”

“That's good.” He shifted. “You have plans?”

“Yeah, I'll be here till about two or three. Tomorrow's Natalia's day off, so she's going to come over after that.” Calleigh shrugged. “So...how is he?” A frown crossed her features. “I didn't wake him, did I?”

“No.” Eric cracked a brief grin. “Right now, I don't even know if it's possible. He didn't even twitch earlier when Frank started cursing.” The grin widened. “Ryan kicked his ass at poker, won three hummer washes and lab assistance off him in one hand.”

“You boys have been gambling? Shame on you.” Calliegh's grin took the sting out of the words. “Well, as long as you didn't disturb the patient.”

“Promise, we've been very well behaved.” Eric grinned again, then stepped aside. “Now why don't you come in off the doorstep.”

“Thank you kindly.” Calliegh stepped in, kicked off her shoes, then looked around. “Wow. He keeps a pretty neat place. Not quite what I'd pictured, but very nice.”

Eric chuckled. “Ryan said the same thing.” He shut the door behind him. “Alexx bring you up to speed?”

“She did. She told me there might be complications.” Calliegh's eyes turned serious.

“We're hoping not. But if you know what to do, I'm probably gonna head out. That way I can get in early tomorrow, try to work on a few things.” He shifted. “We fall behind, we'll have Stetler breathing down our necks, and I'd really prefer he didn't find out about this.” He sighed. “I guess it won't be possible to hide H's condition, but that fact that it could be this serious...”

“No kidding. But we'll manage.” Calliegh grinned. “Just show me the room, and you boys can scat.” She grinned and slapped him on the arm.

Eric returned the smile. “Right down the hall. Frank and Ryan are probably just cleaning up.”

“Good. I'm on it.”

Fifteen minutes later, Calliegh settled beside her boss. Frank and Ryan had just left, leaving her with the sick man. She felt his forehead, then retrieved the thermometer and slipped it gently into his mouth, frowning when the temperature registered. 101.3. “That's a little higher than it should be....” She stood, went into the bathroom and wet a cool cloth, wringing it out before she slipped back into the other room. She ran the cloth over Horatio's face and neck, then settled it across his brow, brushing the now untidy red hair back with her fingers. She glanced up at the clock. Eric had told her about Horatio's hydration schedule. She frowned, then ran her fingers across his face and arm, noting how warm he was and how quickly the water had evaporated from his face. “Well...it's not quite time yet, but I don't think a little more water will hurt, do you, handsome?” She smiled, remembering how Horatio always laughed when she called him that.

She was filling a glass in the kitchen when the front door clicked. Seconds later, Yelina stuck her head into the room. “Calliegh.”

“Hey Yelina.” Calliegh smiled. “I was just about to give him some water.”

“I see.” Yelina set her purse on the counter, then leaned against the wall. “How is he?”

“Hard to say.” Calliegh lifted the cup, then brushed her hair out of her eyes. “He's still unconscious, but he seems to be breathing all right. Unfortunately, his temperature has risen a little. Eric says they gave him water, as much as he'd drink, every half-hour, but I thought a little extra couldn't hurt.”

“Probably not. Frank said he was dehydrated.”

“Well, then let's go see the patient.” Calliegh led the way into the back room. Horatio hadn't moved. The two women settled beside the bed, and Calliegh frowned. “Eric said they were spoon-feeding him. I have to admit, I'm not familiar with the technique.”

“I am. I raised Ray Jr. after all.” Yelina smiled faintly, then took the cup. “Can you raise his head a little for me, please?”

Calliegh lifted Horatio's head gently, bracing his back and watching as Yelina spooned the water into the unconscious man's mouth. They got through about a quarter of the glass before Horatio shifted away from the spoon. Calliegh settled him back against the pillow, and replaced the cloth where it had fallen off. Yelina set the cup to one side, and brushed her brother-in-law's cheek. “He's pretty dry. We should probably try every quarter hour or more to give him water.”

“I think you're right.” Calliegh looked up. “So, you do this often?”

Yelina smiled. “Not for Horatio, no. But Ray Jr. had his fair share of childhood illnesses. And sometimes...Ray came home sick, once in a while. It wasn't often, but I tried to be there for him when he was ill.”

“Yeah, well, I guess Horatio is just never sick.” Calleigh grinned.

Yelina shrugged. “He gets ill more often than he admits. But that's Horatio. He would never admit something was wrong if he could avoid it.” She smiled down at the sleeping man, smoothing his hair as Calleigh had done minutes earlier.

“Yeah.” Calliegh's eyes drifted downward, to Horatio's bared arms. Even without touching him, she could see at least two scars crossing his arm, one across a bicep, the other lower down. She looked up at the other woman. “You really don't have to answer, but...can I ask you something? About Horatio?”

“You can ask. I can't promise to have an answer.” Yelina smiled tightly.

“I know. And I understand if you don't want to answer, either. It's just...” Her hands lightly traced the scar on his arm. “Eric told Alexx he had several old injuries. Scars. Did you...?”

“Did I know about them?” Yelina met her gaze, then bobbed her head in a half-nod. “I knew.”

“Horatio told you?” Calliegh blinked.

“No. But he would come over to play with Ray Jr., or to talk with Raymond. Sometimes to help out with household chores or work. I saw the marks on his arms once or twice.” She shook her head, slinging her long dark hair out of her face. “I asked, but Horatio was never willing to discuss it. I decided not to press it.”

“So you don't know how he got them? Or when?” Calliegh frowned. She could understand Horatio's reluctance to reveal his secrets to his team, but Yelina was family. If he'd never even told her, that indicated more trauma than she'd expected.

Yelina studied her a moment, then looked back at Horatio. Her voice was soft when she spoke, her words hesitant. “Not from Horatio. But Raymond...he mentioned a few things.”

“Mentioned? You mean Raymond knew?”

“He did. I never got the details...but he said that Horatio had a rough childhood. That he'd been hurt.” She shook her head. “He never said anything more about it, and I didn't ask. But he looked...so upset.” She flashed Calliegh a brief smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. “One of the few times I saw Raymond upset.”

“This happened when he was a child?” Calliegh felt a cold chill cross her spine. She had no idea what could have happened, but the thought that he'd sustained injuries severe enough to leave scarring decades later...that was troubling.

“I think so. Like I said...” Yelina gave a stiff nod, with a smile that was half exasperated grimace. “He would never discuss it.”

Calliegh sighed. “Well, I will admit to undying curiosity but...Eric's right. If Horatio doesn't want to talk about it, then it's his business. I guess I'll just have to be satisfied with that.”

Yelina nodded. “For his sake, I hope so.” She met Calliegh's eyes. “If it's serious enough for him to hide, then I don't want to put him through reliving it.”

“You're right. So...why don't we talk about something else?” Calliegh grinned. “How's the PI business these days? And how's Ray Jr. doing?”

The two women chatted in an amiable fashion as the night wore on. Both were dedicated to their work, with a great deal in common. The topics started with work, various issues they had to deal with, then reminiscing about people in the department. From there, the talk branched out into home life, personal business and interests. Calliegh heard how Ray Jr. was coping with home education, and told Yelina how her father was doing. Both women had wide tastes in fashion, music, and cars, as well as men, and plenty of time to compare notes on what they liked and didn't. Had it not been for the silent man lying between them, it would have been an entertaining girls night out.

Horatio was one topic both of them instinctively avoided. Though they took turns in caring for him, giving him water, checking his temperature, neither of them spoke of him beyond that. The lines drawn between them seemed to preclude any discussion of the sick man's life, save for occasional references to work, or his visits to Ray Jr. and Yelina.

They were engaged in a quiet discussion of movies they were both planning to watch, and had watched recently, when a faint knock at the door startled them out of conversation. Calliegh blinked. The clock read almost 3 am. “I bet that's Natalia.”

“Probably.” Yelina stood, stretching. “I'll let her in. I need to go home to Ray Jr. anyway.” She smiled, her eyes drifting to the unconscious form. “He's very worried, you know. He asked if he could help with taking care of Horatio.”

“Frank thought he might. And actually, if you're willing to let him, that would be a great help. Our biggest problem is that everyone is day shift, and it's hard to spare two people from the lab for a full day, even if we're taking shifts.” Calliegh sighed. “I know there's a lot of people who care for him, but we didn't want this to get too widespread.”

Yelina nodded. “Horatio has Internet here, and power. Why don't I bring Ray Jr. over here during the day? One of your CSI team can keep him company, and make sure he does his schoolwork. That frees up one more of you for your work, and makes him feel like he's being helpful.”

“That would be excellent. I'll text the others and let them know. Thanks, Yelina.” Calliegh smiled, feeling relief. She'd been worried about trying to prevent Stetler from becoming suspicious, but this would help a lot.

“Don't mention it.” Yelina nodded at the red-haired man on the bed. “He's family. And family is important. We both know that.”

“Yeah.” Calliegh nodded, then gestured. “Speaking of family...you need to get home to your son. So why don't you let Natalia in, and she can take over?”

Yelina nodded and disappeared through the door. A few minutes later, Natalia appeared, carrying her purse. “Calliegh?”

“Here.” The blond CSI gestured to a seat. “How is everything at the lab?”

“It's okay. Everything's good, ready for people to take over in the morning.” Natalia settled into a seat, looking at Horatio. “How is he?”

“He seems to be doing all right, but we're having trouble keeping his temperature down. We've been giving him water every quarter hour and checking his temperature, trying to keep him cool. So far, that's all we've needed to do.” Her eyes met her associates. “Alexx filled you in?”

“Yeah. She did.” Natalia looked concerned. “Do you need to head out? I can handle it.”

“No...I think I'll stay.” Calliegh glanced at the clock. “Alexx texted me that she'll come by around six. That's not that long, and even though his condition hasn't changed, there's no guarantee it won't at any point. And it's better to have two pairs of eyes on the situation.”

Natalia frowned. “You know, you do have to work tomorrow.” She glanced at Horatio. “I really can handle it.”

“Normally, I'd agree, but what are you going to do if his temperature spikes?” Calliegh met her gaze. “Or what if he gets delirious and starts thrashing? Or develops severe chills? Now, I could be wrong, but I don't think you're capable of lifting and moving him by yourself.” She smiled to indicate she wasn't criticizing. “I certainly don't think I'm capable of it.”

Natalia frowned. “I didn't think of that.” She settled into a chair, a sheepish smile on her face. Then her gaze traveled to Horatio's face. She studied him a moment, then looked back at Calliegh. “It's just...strange, you know? Seeing him here, like this.” She looked around. “I never thought I'd be sitting in his house, just watching him like this. And the idea that he needs this kind of medical care...”

“I know. We're all so used to Horatio being unstoppable. But...I guess everyone has to be human sometime.” Calliegh leaned forward, brushed disordered red hair out of Horatio's face again. Her hand lingered, checking his temperature.”Natalia, will you hand me that bowl of water?”

The dark-haired CSI passed the bowl to her. Calleigh pulled out the towel, wrung it out, then wiped Horatio's face and neck gently. The cool liquid caused the sick man to shift slightly, a soft breath of air escaping his lips that might have been a protest, or request for more. Calliegh stroked his face gently, and he subsided. Calliegh looked at the clock, then set the bowl aside. “He'll need water in a few minutes.”

“Okay. So...how are we gonna give it to him?” Natalia looked at the sleeping man. “Do we wake him up?”

“No. Eric actually had a better idea.” Calliegh grinned. “You'll see.”

Horatio made a soft noise and shifted restlessly. Both women tensed, but he returned to stillness in a matter of moments. Natalia reached out and straightened the blankets, her eyes coming to rest on the faint scars that marred his arm. “Are these the marks Alexx was talking about?”

“Some of them.” Calliegh sighed. “She said Eric told her the injuries were more extensive than immediately visible, but he wasn't particularly forthcoming.” She caught Natalia's gaze. “Why? Something wrong?”

“Not really.” Natalia shook her head,a small, self-deprecating smile on her face. “I mean, I know it's Horatio's business, and I really don't want to pry into his life. Just....”

“Just you noticed something. Well?” Calliegh looked back at her boss. “What's bothering you?”

“Well...some of these wounds look defensive.”

“Makes sense. We do know of at least one knife fight he's been in, where he got the worst of it.” Natalia raised an eyebrow, and Calliegh shrugged. “You remember. The Walter Resden case. He tried to frame Horatio for murder. Part of the evidence he left was Horatio's blood. He got a hold of it during an altercation they had in New York on a previous case. I understand he gave Horatio a few serious injuries at the time.”

“Oh, yeah. I actually remember that.” Natalia looked back at the injuries. “But some of these look older than others. The marks have faded more.”

“Well it's possible. But you look like you're thinking something in particular.” Calliegh tilted her head, studying the other woman. “Come on, Natalia. What's going on?”

The brunette shook her head slightly. “It's just...you know about Nick and I, right? The stuff that happened? Before I became a CSI.”

“I do.” Calliegh leaned forward, listening with interest.

“Well...it's kind of confidential, but I belong to a support group.”

“A network of women with similar experiences who watch out for each other.” Calliegh nodded. “I remember you mentioned it. It helped break a case for us once.” She frowned slightly. “So, what does this have to do with Horatio?”

Natalia shifted, her hands moving nervously. “It's just...working in a group....Calliegh, I've seen a lot of injuries that look similar to this.” She touched the scar just visible above his elbow, where it disappeared into the sleeve of the t-shirt. “Obviously, I could be wrong, and I'd have to see all the damage, which I am not going to look at.” She held her hands up. “It's just...it looks really familiar.” She met her companion's eyes.

Calliegh frowned. “Does it bother you?”

Natalia shook her head. “That's not what I'm trying to say. It's just...what if...” She swallowed back the words, then shook her head again. “Forget it. It's a really stupid thought.”

Calliegh looked back at the sleeping man, then her gaze returned to Natalia. “You think something similar might have happened to him? That he was abused, or tortured at some point?”

“I know. It's stupid. I'm probably just paranoid. You know how it is. You live through something, and you start seeing it everywhere sometimes.” Natalia held her hands up. “Look, please forget it. I'm probably just imagining things. I mean, come on, it's Horatio.” She offered Calliegh a smile.

“I don't know. Yelina told me Ray said his childhood was rough.” Calliegh was frowning with consideration.

“Ray?” Natalia blinked. “Who's Ray?”

“Horatio's brother. He was killed, right around the time you joined us as a CSI. His wife and son live in Miami. Horatio keeps pretty close tabs on them, when he can. You'll probably meet Ray Jr sometime, given the situation.” She touched Horatio's face. “You know, we can't prove your theory either way, and I really don't want to try but...I hope you're wrong.” Blue eyes met brown ones.

“So do I. I mean...nobody should go through anything like that.” Natalia shook her head, then glanced at the clock. “Oh, hey, isn't it time to give him water?”

Calliegh looked up, then nodded. “You're right.” She gestured to the cup and spoon on the side table. “Have you ever spoon-fed someone before?”

“Ah, no. never.” Natalia made a face, grinning in slight embarrassment.

“Well then, I guess you're about to learn.” Calliegh grinned and moved forward. “Help me support him please.”

Natalia stared at her. “Seriously? We're going to spoon-feed him.”

“Well, it was that or an IV, and Horatio is not the worlds biggest fan of needles, at least, according to Eric.” Calliegh grinned again. “Come on, help me get his other side.”

With Natalia's help, she pulled Horatio into the sitting position Yelina had showed her, then gently tipped a spoonful of water into Horatio's mouth. Natalia watched her. “You know...this is kind of weird.” She steadied Horatio's limp frame. “I mean, watching one grown adult spoon-feed another is a little strange to begin with, but...when it's Horatio....”

“I know. But...it's what needs to be done.” Calliegh grinned. “Care to to try it?”

“Seriously?” Natalia's eyes widened. “What if I make him choke or something?”

“Then we'll pat his back and make him feel better. But you should probably know how to do this.” Calliegh handed her the spoon. “It's really not that hard, and I'll talk you through it.”

Under the blond's direction, Natalia carefully maneuvered the spoon to Horatio's lips and tipped the water gently into his mouth, releasing a long sigh of relief when he swallowed. Calliegh smiled. “See? That wasn't so bad.”

“I guess you're right.” Natalia lifted another spoonful to Horatio's mouth, but the unconscious man shifted away. Natalia tensed. “What does that mean?”

“It means he's not thirsty at the moment, so we put him back to bed.” Calliegh handed her the water cup to set aside. Then the two women laid the slender frame down, and wrapped the blankets around him. “We'll probably want to check his temperature in five minutes or so.” Calliegh smoothed a last crease out of the blankets, then settled down with a grin. “So, tell me, what have we got on our case so far?”

Natalia brought her up to date on the evidence they had, and the two of them discussed possible theories and courses of action for the following days. Then the discussion turned to how to best schedule the CSI's. Ray Jr.'s willingness to help eased the burden considerably, but they had to keep in mind that he was still a boy. Working together, the two women managed to put together a rough timetable of when they thought various team members could take nursing duty, and sent it off as text messages. Calliegh also ventured into Horatio's office to find paper to make a hard copy, so it could be easily reviewed. They were just finishing up when a knock sounded, and Alexx entered the room.

The ME checked Horatio's readings, laid a hand to his face, then frowned at Calliegh. “Calliegh honey, I know you're worried, but you have to be at work in three hours. You should have been home a long time ago.”

Calliegh sighed, a faintly abashed look on her features. “I know. But I didn't want to leave Natalia alone. You told me the doctor wasn't sure if other symptoms would present, or when they would. Until Horatio regains consciousness, I think we should have two people here at all times, to make sure nothing happens.” The blond CSI grinned. “Besides, company is nice.”

“Well, all right.” Alexx considered her a moment. “I'll let it slide today. But you'd better go take a quick nap and a shower, honey. And you're not working here any more today. You go home after shift and get a good nights sleep. Understood?”

“Yes ma'am.” She stood, looking at her watch. “Well, if I leave now, I can get a two hour catnap. That and a cup of coffee, and I should be able to manage.” She gave Natalia a smile. “Call me if anything changes. I'll keep you posted on the case.”

“Right. See you later.” Natalia waved as her friend disappeared. She and Alexx waited until they heard the faint click of the front door closing, then she looked up at the ME. “So, um...we gave him water ten minutes ago, but we haven't checked his temperature yet.”

“All right then, let's see what we have.” Alexx took the thermometer, inserted it into Horatios mouth, and waited until it beeped. She frowned. “101.8. That's a little higher than I'd like.” She shrugged and gave Natalia a conspiratorial look. “Still, that's what they made antibiotics for, isn't it? Natalia honey, come give me a hand.”

Natalia rose, and Alexx pointed her to Horatio's arm. “You just hold him right there. Horatio's a bit fussy about needles, and I don't want him to twitch the wrong way.” She pulled a full syringe from her bag, then carefully pushed up the sick man's sleeve. Horatio twitched. Alexx quickly emptied the contents of her syringe into Horatio's shoulder and threw the needle into the trash. “Okay. Now we got that taken care of, let's clean him up.”

Natalia collected the cold water bowl from the bedside table and mopped Horatio's brow, frowning when he stirred as if to draw away. Then she set it aside and resumed her seat. Alexx settled in beside her, stroking Horatio's face with a gentle, motherly hand. A sad smile touched the ME's face. “Horatio baby, why didn't you come to me sooner with this?

“Well, if it was sudden onset, he might not have known.” Natalia gave the older woman her best reassuring smile.

Alexx managed a brief smile in return. “Maybe. But you know Horatio. Man's more stubborn than a mule.”

“Yeah.” The younger CSI studied her bosses face, relaxed in sleep. “So...what do we do now?” She looked up.

Alexx shrugged. “We do the only thing we can do, baby. We wait for Horatio to make the next move. And pray it's a step in the right direction.”


	5. Turn for the Worse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Horatio's condition worsens

The next few days were uneventful. The killer they were looking for turned out to be a jealous boyfriend. New cases came in, were looked at and solved by various members of the team. Calliegh got the Chief's unofficial blessing to schedule the team for half-days, to tend to Horatio. She was a little apprehensive about asking, but he was surprisingly sympathetic, and offered the team his support, and his prayers for a quick recovery.

With his support, scheduling nursing shifts was easy. Days were divided with six hour shifts, sharing with Ray Jr., and sometimes Yelina. Nights, two team members stayed with him, tending to his needs. Alexx stayed on call, administering medication and advice and keeping an eye on all of them, including the patient. She gave Horatio antibiotics twice a day, looked over his vitals, and reported in to Doctor Reynolds at the hospital.

Horatio, for his part, remained unchanged. He slept, stirring only now and then before collapsing back into motionless slumber. The fever continued, refusing to abate, but Alexx took it as a good sign that his lungs seemed mostly clear, and hadn't shown any signs of getting further congested. After the first night, she had them alternate the water with a weak broth, to get nutrients into his system. She and Reynolds both assured the worried team that the lingering unconsciousness was no doubt the result of the blow to his head, combined with the illness.

The fourth night after his collapse found Frank and Ryan sharing the shift. Both men stopped in the living room to drop off their bags and jackets, then took over from Yelina and Ray Jr. Yelina showed them the pot of chicken broth she had set aside in the kitchen, then quietly took her son out the door, leaving the two men alone.

Ryan was the first to break the silence. “So...now what?” He glanced at the screen of the monitor. “Everything's normal.”

“Yeah. And Yelina said his temperature is 100.8, which isn't bad for him.” Frank sighed. “I'm gonna go raid his fridge. I haven't eaten dinner yet.”

“Good idea. I'll join you.” Ryan sighed, looked at his boss one more time, then followed the Texan into the kitchen.

Frank rummaged the pantry, and made a soft noise of annoyance. “Isn't much here.” He sighed, then snagged a few items off the shelf. “I'm up for a sandwich. I know he's got lunch meat around here somewhere. You?”

“Sounds fine.” Together the two men fixed sandwiches, got water out of the tap to drink. Ryan sighed. “You know, that's actually the first thing that doesn't surprise me about this place. I've never known H to eat a lot.”

“He doesn't.” Frank sighed. “That's why I take him out drinking every so often. He doesn't actually drink much, if at all, but he'll at least eat and have coffee to keep me company.”

“I'd wondered, since you said he doesn't like alcohol.” Ryan sighed and ate the last bite of his sandwich. “So, what are we gonna do tonight? More poker?”

“Like hell. I ain't playing any more with you. You'll rob my desk out from under me.” Frank sighed. “Problem is, I don't know what the hell we can do. I mean, I'm not exactly a fan of the same reading material H is, and there's only one computer.”

Ryan frowned. “Well, there is a TV.” He met Frank's gaze. “We're right down the hall. We can keep the volume low, and check on him during commercials. They run like every five minutes or so, right? We'll flip a coin for who has to give him water and broth when.”

Frank frowned. “You sure about this? Alexx is gonna have our heads if something happens.”

Ryan made a frustrated sound. “His condition hasn't changed in three days and four nights, Frank. Honestly, what could possibly happen? Besides, I did just say we'd check on him during commercials.”

“Yeah, you did. And you've got a point.” Frank considered. “So...got any preference?”

“Anything but the news.” Ryan spoke, relief evident in his voice. “And uh...no chic flicks.”

“That I can agree with.” Frank nodded. “All right. I'll set up the TV. You go check on him, make sure he's comfortable.”

Ryan nodded and went back down the hall. Horatio hadn't moved an inch since they'd originally come in. he checked his temperature, finding it at 100.9, then went back down the hall. Frank was watching some science fiction/action flick. He gestured at the screen. “Good enough?”

“Yeah.” Ryan grabbed his water out of the kitchen and settled into the chair nearby.

They were into their third hour of watching, and had changed programs once when Ryan blinked, sitting up straighter in his chair. “Hey, did you hear something?” He frowned.

Frank looked at him, cocking his head to one side. “Just the idiot box here.” He gestured to the screen.

Ryan frowned, shifting in his seat, his head still cocked toward the door. Then he shook his head and stood. “I think I'm gonna go check on H, just to make sure.”

Frank nodded and hit mute. “Something bothering you?”

“I thought I heard something from his room.”

Frank shrugged. “Can't hurt to check.” He stood as well, and both men made their way to the bedroom. Ryan's hand had just touched the doorknob when both men heard a groan from the other side. Frank's jaw tightened, and he reached across the smaller man and flung the door open.

Horatio lay on the bed, his head shifting restlessly from side to side. As the door slammed open, he shivered visibly and stiffened under the sheets. His hands clenched in the sheets and he moaned again.

“Ryan, get the thermometer. I'm gonna make sure he doesn't damage that skull any more.” Frank moved forward quickly. Ryan nodded and moved to the bedside table.

Frank stepped to the bedside and caught Horatio's head gently between his hands, steadying him. But at his touch, the red-haired man stiffened, an unexpected expression of fear and pain twisting across his features. A single, barely audible word crossed his lips. “No....”

Frank tightened his grip just enough to keep the other man from twisting away. “Hey, it's okay. You're safe. It's okay.”

“I've got the thermometer, and I cleaned it.” Ryan got one knee on the bed.

Frank gave him an exasperated look. “Well, don't just stand there waving it. Stick it in his mouth and take his damn temperature already. He feels like he's burning up.”

Ryan nodded. Horatio's mouth was open slightly, to breathe. Ryan reached over, and gently stuck the thermometer in his superior's mouth.

Horatio jerked as if they'd electrocuted him. His body stiffened, and only Frank's hands on his face kept him from jerking away and spitting the thermometer out. As it was, Ryan lost his grip in surprise, and they just barely managed to keep it in his mouth. Frank steadied him and Ryan hit the button, his arms crossing around Frank's to hold Horatio's mouth closed, and the thermometer in place.

Horatio shuddered, visibly fighting Frank and Ryan's hands, though he was too weak and at too much of a disadvantage to do more than shiver and twist weakly. But he was clearly agitated, fear stamped into the normally serene features. Even with his eyes closed, he looked tormented.

The thermometer beeped. Frank and Ryan looked at each other in unspoken agreement, then let go of the trembling man. Horatio jerked, curling over onto his side with a gasp, spitting out the thermometer. Ryan retrieved it while Frank caught the other man in a gentle embrace, holding him as shudders wracked his frame. “Easy there. Relax. It's okay, we got you. We're sorry, okay? We're sorry.”

Ryan frowned. “Frank, it says 102.5.”

“What? It was just 100.8 a few minutes ago.” Frank frowned. “That can't be right.”

“No, it could be, as agitated as he is.”

Horatio shuddered again, pulling away from Frank's grip. He still looked panicky. “No...please...”

Frank touched him, and the red-haired man jerked away. He looked at Ryan. “He's not responding to me. You try.”

Ryan swallowed, then moved forward. He laid a hand on Horatio's shoulder. “H? It's okay. You're okay. Frank and I are here. Nothing's going to happen.” He curled his hand comfortingly on Horatio's shoulder, as the other man had done for him sometimes. “You're safe.”

Horatio's eyes cracked just a fraction. There was no sign of recognition in them, only fever haze. Ryan tightened his grip just slightly. “You're okay H.”

The eyes slid closed, and Horatio relaxed again, falling back into unconsciousness as quickly as he'd emerged. Frank and Ryan looked at each other. Frank sighed. “Now what the hell was that all about?”

Ryan shrugged. “I've got no idea. You think he recognized either of us?”

Frank snorted. “He sure as hell didn't recognize me. I think if he'd had the strength, he'd have decked me a good one.” He sighed. “Tell you what. Why don't you stay here, clean him up and make him comfortable, and I'll go call Alexx and tell her what's going on.” He looked at the clock and sighed again. “I hate to bother her, but she'll have our heads if we don't report in on this.”

Ryan nodded, twisting around to get the bowl of water on the nightstand. Frank stepped out of the room, then pulled the door closed behind him. He stood, looking back at the room for a moment in concern, then pulled out his phone and dialed. It rang twice, then a sleepy female voice answered. “Frank?”

“Yeah. Hey, sorry to bother you, but we've got a bit of a problem here...”

Alexx arrived just barely half an hour later. Frank met her at the door, holding it open as she strode inside. “All right, what's going on?”

“Ryan and I were watching TV, just down the hall. Ryan thought he heard something. Went to check on him, found him agitated. Fever went up almost two degrees in something like ten minutes. We tried to check his temperature and settle him, he got real upset. Never woke up, but he was talking in his sleep. Didn't say much, but it didn't sound good.” Frank reached forward to grasp the bedroom doorknob. “Ryan's taking care of him. Seems to respond better to him.”

“All right. Let me take a look.” Frank nodded and opened the door.

Horatio was lying quietly. Ryan had rearranged the blankets to cover him again, and looked up in the middle of laying a cool cloth on his brow. Frank followed Alexx inside. “How is he?”

“Well, he hasn't gotten agitated again, but he's still pretty hot.” Ryan frowned. “Alexx?”

“Let me take a look at him, baby.” Alexx set down her portable kit, then reached across to feel Horatio's forehead. “That ain't good.” She reached down to pull a thermometer from her bag. “Ryan honey, help me take his temperature, okay?”

Ryan nodded. At the touch of the thermometer against his mouth, Horatio moaned and shifted. Ryan laid a gentle hand on his bosses arm. “It's okay H. It's Alexx.”

Alexx laid a hand on his opposite shoulder. “Shhh...relax, Horatio.”

Horatio stopped, but he tensed as Alexx slipped the thermometer into his mouth. She laid a hand on his forehead. “Easy, baby. It's okay. Just a thermometer.” The sick man subsided again, but Alexx frowned, worry creasing her face.

The thermometer chirped and she removed it, nodding for Ryan to replace the cool cloth she'd brushed aside. “102.1. That's a lot higher than it should be.”

“Yeah. And it's down a little from when we checked it.” Ryan nodded. “We think his agitation sent his temperature up.”

“Probably. But this is still pretty bad.” Alexx set the thermometer aside and reached into her bag for a stethoscope. “Let me listen to his lungs.” She slipped the equipment on and pressed the metal disk to Horatio's chest. After a second, she shifted, then again, the frown growing more pronounced on her face. “I've got signs of congestion here, worse than before.” She removed the stethoscope.

Frank grimaced. “So...what do we do?”

“I'm gonna give him another shot of antibiotic, see if that can at least knock down the fever a little. We'll call Dr. Reynolds in the morning, see if he'll make a house call.”

Ryan looked up. “Shouldn't we just take him to the hospital?”

“We brought him here to keep him out of the hospital, doofus.” Frank grimaced.

“Yeah, I know. But he's worse now, isn't he.” The younger man's eyes cut back to Alexx.

“Looks like it.” The ME pushed up Horatio's sleeve and injected the medication, then threw the needle away. “But...Frank?” Her eyes met the detectives. “You wanted to bring him home. Your call and Eric's.”

“I know.” Frank shifted, worry on his face. “Look, I get what Ryan is saying but...I still don't think it's a good idea. When he got restless....” His eyes met Alexx's, worry in them. “He didn't recognize me. Acted like he thought I was gonna hurt him or something.” He held the ME's gaze. “I've been his friend for ever a decade, and he didn't know me. And whoever he thought I was....”

“You're thinking...some kind of nightmare?” Alexx raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah.” Frank shifted again.

“All right. We'll stick to the original plan.” Alexx sighed. “I don't like the way his condition is going.”

Frank nodded. “Neither do I.”

The next few hours passed slowly. Ryan and Alexx stayed by Horatio's bedside, applying cooling cloths and tending to him. Frank stayed by the door, unwilling to risk anything that might upset the unconscious man. Twice more, Horatio roused to a restless semi-consciousness, never truly awake, but clearly agitated. Alexx managed to soothe him both times, but she was clearly concerned. As she rose to take a break, Frank took her arm. “Alexx. He's delirious, isn't he?”

Alexx looked back at the sleeping man. “Afraid so.”

Frank nodded, looked at his watch. “Calleigh and Eric will be here any minute. You wanna tell them, or should I?”

Alexx smiled gently, seeing the concern on the detective's face. “I'll tell them. Why don't you go sit and keep Ryan there company.”

Frank glanced through the door, staring at his friend's fevered form. When he looked back at the ME, his expression was confused and unhappy. “Alexx, last time I was in there, he acted like he thought I was gonna hurt him. What if he gets upset again?”

“Then you'll be there to reassure him. But are you really gonna give up on him that easy?” She leveled a stern, no-nonsense look at him.

Frank sighed. “Nope.” Then he turned and entered the room, moving softly to a chair next to the bed. Horatio didn't stir as he settled in across the bed from Ryan. Alexx watched the two men holding vigil for a long moment, then left to get some water.

Only half an hour later, there was a knock on the door. Alexx opened it to find Eric and Calleigh, both dressed casually. Calleigh's eyebrow went up. “Alexx? I thought you went home hours ago. This is supposed to be Ryan and Frank's shift.”

“It is, and they're both in with Horatio. But before I let you in, honey, we need to talk.” Alexx gestured them toward the living room.

Both of them went willingly enough, but Eric didn't sit. Instead, he turned and looked at her, a solemn expression in the dark eyes. Concern washed over his face. “He's worse, isn't he?”

Alexx nodded. “I'm afraid so. He's getting more congested, and his fever's spiked. But...what you need to know is that he's also showing signs of delirium.”

Eric bit off a quiet curse. Calleigh's hand went to her mouth. “Oh my god.” She swallowed. “Has he said anything?”

“Nothing coherent at the moment. But when it happens, he gets pretty agitated. There's a real possibility that he'll fight you. You need to be careful with him. You can't allow him to injure himself, but you've got to be careful about triggering further agitation.” She shook her head, remembering Horatio tossing on the sheets, trembling in her arms. “I'm not gonna lie, it ain't pretty, and it ain't easy.”

Eric nodded. “How bad?”

“Well, I wasn't here for the first one, but he didn't know Frank. Since then...he seems to react to touch, and we don't know why.” She shook her head. “Be a hell of a lot easier if we knew what was triggering this, but under the circumstances...”

“We're just gonna have to wing it.” Eric sighed. “Got it. Anything else we need to know?”

“Not right now.” Alexx sighed. “I'll stay with you until Dr. Reynolds can come over and assess the situation. In the meantime, we'll just have to hope nothing too serious happens.”

*****TiS*****

Reynolds arrived about nine o'clock, carrying Horatio's medical file and a medical bag. Alexx met him at the door. “Thanks for coming, Doctor.”

Reynolds nodded. “No problem, Dr. Woods.” He glanced down the hall. “You said Lieutenant Caine's condition had deteriorated? Can you tell me his current symptoms?”

Alexx nodded. “Temperature hovering around 102. This morning when I checked him I heard congestion in the lungs. But he's definitely feverish, agitated, and seems to be suffering from delirium. One of his caretakers reported that he appeared to be semi-conscious at one point, but he didn't recognize the people with him.” Alexx kept her voice calm, but her eyes were worried.

Reynolds frowned. “That does sound serious. I'm glad you called me over.” He glanced at Horatio's file. “I'd like to take a look at him, if it's all right with you and his caretakers. Although...if he's agitated or delirious...”

“Eric'll tell us.” Alexx gestured for him to proceed her down the hallway. “Right this way please, Doctor.”

The door to the bedroom was closed when they reached it. Alexx tapped on it gently, and Eric pulled it partway open. “We good to come in, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, sure.” Eric stepped back and opened the door wider. “He's asleep right now. Been pretty quiet so far.” His eyes met Reynolds', and he held out a hand. “Thanks for coming out here, Doc. I know it's not easy or convenient, but it means a lot.”

Reynolds smiled. “It's not a problem, Mr. Delko. I'm happy to be able to help. So, let me see how our patient is doing, and I'll tell you what we can do about it.” Eric nodded and stepped out of the way so the doctor could approach the bed.

Horatio lay quietly, but his brow shone with perspiration. Calliegh and Eric had removed all but the lightest blanket, and he still looked as if he'd been standing in the Miami summer sun for an hour. His breathing was hoarse and raspy, and despite his apparent unconsciousness, his expression was set in lines of unease, as if he had troubling dreams.

Reynolds approached the bed and studied the monitors. “It appears that his heart rate is a little high. It could be a result of the agitation you said you witnessed, or it could be caused by the fever. You said it was hovering around 102?”

Alexx nodded. “Last I checked.”

“Hmmm. It isn't good that it's not going below that.” Reynolds made a few notes. “He looks a little dehydrated.”

Eric shifted. “We've been giving him water and broth every quarter hour.”

Reynolds nodded, then withdrew a stethoscope from his bag and slipped it on. “Let me see how he sounds.”

At the first touch of cold metal against his skin, Horatio made a soft sound of distress and pulled away, his expression setting in lines of unease. Reynolds put a hand on his shoulder to hold him, and the stricken lieutenant stiffened, trying to pull away, a low moan coming from his throat, unease changing to fear.

Alexx stepped forward, and laid a gentle hand on Horatio's brow. “Shhh. You just settle, Horatio honey. It's just the doctor. It's all right, you hear? You just relax now.”

At the sound of the low, soothing voice, Horatio quieted, his movement stilling. After a long moment, his shoulders and body relaxed, though one hand remained tangled in the sheets. Alexx gave Reynolds a quick nod.

Reynolds listened a few times, then drew back. “There's definite congestion in his lungs.” he packed the stethoscope away. “His reaction. Was that characteristic of the response your friend witnessed?”

Eric shrugged. “Couldn't say for sure.”

Calliegh frowned. “I think so. Ryan did say he was severely agitated, even though he was still asleep. The only thing I can think of, based on what Ryan and Frank told us, is that at one point, it looked like Horatio might be semi-conscious. Ryan said he cracked his eyes open, but he didn't seem to recognize either of them. And he didn't recognize their voices.”

“Hmm. Well, that could be both good and bad news. It's good because he's not in a coma, and it may mean he's recovering from the injury to his skull. On the other hand, the lack of recognition, and his reactions imply he's suffering from delirium, either again from the head injury, or from the pneumonia. Unfortunately, I can say it appears his illness has gotten worse. At this point, much though I'd prefer to have the lieutenant in the hospital, I wouldn't advise moving him. And...it appears as though Mr. Tripp's concerns have some validity.”

Eric nodded. “So, what do we do?”

“Well, first off, I'm going to prescribe a stronger antibiotic. Also, I think it's best if I give him something to help prevent viral infections, and to knock out any that might be in his system. And given the congestion, he may need an inhaler over the next few days, so I'll prescribe one of those. You know how to assist with an inhaler, if he needs it?”

Eric nodded. “Yeah. My sister, Mari, she used to need one sometimes.”

“Good.” Reynolds frowned. “Since he seems to show signs of regaining consciousness, I'm going to give you ten days prescriptions in liquid form, as shots and the like, and then a full prescription in pill form. If he completely regains awareness, start giving him the pills. It'll be easier, and it will give you a good chance to introduce water and liquids to his system. In the meantime...” He turned to Alexx. “I presume you still have the IV kit you took?”

Alexx nodded. “Sure do.”

“I'd like you to try him on an IV. It would be more stable and more consistent, in terms of getting liquids and medication into his system.” He saw Eric's frown. “I'm aware of your concern for his dislike of needles, and I understand. But this represents the best chance we have of stabilizing his condition.”

Eric nodded. “What if he gets upset again?”

“If he gets agitated again, try to keep him from pulling the line. However, if you can't stop him, or it becomes absolutely clear that it's the IV causing his discomfort, then go ahead and remove it, and return to your previous methods. His head is still healing, and the less agitated he is, the better.” He considered. “Dr. Woods, if the IV is removed, I'll leave it to your discretion to decide if it ought to be replaced, based on the lieutenant's condition.”

Alexx nodded. “Yes sir.”

Reynolds looked around the room, then at the sleeping lieutenant. “I think that's everything we can do for now. I'll write the prescriptions and take them in. If one of you can come to the hospital with me and pick them up....”

“I'll go.” Eric straightened from where he'd been leaning against a wall. “I'm his medical proxy for the moment, and anyway...” He looked uncomfortable. “From what Ryan and Frank said, I think H responds better to a woman's touch.” He cracked a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Calliegh frowned, seeing his unhappiness. “We don't know that.”

Eric grinned, a little more honest. “Yeah well, let's not test it till we have to.” He checked a pocket for his keys, then turned to the doctor. “Shall we go?”

“Of course.” Reynolds had already collected his kit. He nodded to Alexx. “Please keep me updated, and call me if any further problems arise.”

“You can bet on it.” Alexx settled into the vacant chair and gestured with her hand. “Go on. The sooner you get to the hospital, the sooner we can get Horatio started on his treatment, and the sooner we're likely to see some improvement in this poor baby's condition.” One hand stroked the damp hair back from Horatio's face.

Eric nodded. “Yes ma'am.” Then he and Reynolds were gone, and a minute later the front door clicked.

Calliegh frowned. “Do you think it's really going to be okay?”

Alexx sighed. “I ain't worried about Horatio bein' okay, honey. Man's as tough as nails, and then some. But I don't like seeing him like this.” Her hands traced a scar on the back of one arm. “Eric's got a point. Whatever happened to mark this man up like this, I don't want to know.” A sad smile touched her face. “I already know of far too much sorrow in this man's life.”

“I know what you mean.” Calliegh sighed. “I hope Eric gets back soon. The sooner we get him started on these meds, the better. Are you really going to try and place an IV?”

“I will. But if he so much as groans, it's coming right back out, I promise you that.” Alexx studied Horatio's wrist. “At least the man has decent veins. I only hope they aren't as twisty as some I've seen.”

Calliegh blinked. “Twisty?”

“Yeah. Some people, you try to tap a vein, it starts rolling like a wheel on a hillside. Nearly impossible to get a needle into. You have to hit it just right.”

Calliegh nodded. “I think I remember one of my doctors commenting about that once, when I was a kid. Something about difficulty tapping into my arm.” She frowned, thinking. “You know, I think they ended up going for my elbow, because they couldn't get the wrist.”

“Well, I will too, if I need to. But the wrist will give him more range of movement, might upset him less too.”

Calliegh nodded, and a small smile appeared on her face. “I hope you get it though. He might get upset, if we have to poke him too much.”

Alexx managed a grin. “He would at that, honey, he would at that.” She patted Horatio's arm gently.

Half an hour later, the door clicked and Eric came in, carrying several pharmacy bags. “I've got everything.” He opened up the paper bags, setting things down on the bedside table one by one. “This is his new antibiotic. This is his inhaler, in case he needs it, or if he's awake, every 4 to six hours, doc said.” he pulled out another set of pill bottles. “This is his anti-viral. Says it's got steroids in it, we'll have to note it for the department records, in case H gets tapped after he recovers for a drug test.” He pulled open the next bag. “And this is everything in liquid form, so we can put it in an IV, or give him shots. Plus, I got some spare needles and stuff, and a few extra IV bags and tubing and all, if we have to set the IV more than once.” He grimaced.

“You did a good job, honey.” Alexx rose from her seat and took the last packages from his hands. “Now, you just sit down with Calliegh, and both of you try to keep Horatio quiet while I do my job.”

Eric nodded and took a seat. Alexx went into the bathroom and scrubbed her hands, then came back in. It took her less than ten minutes to fill the needles with the medications. Then she shook out the IV kit. “Eric, go get the stand from outside the door.”

Eric nodded and reappeared seconds later with the stand. “H is right-handed, so we're going for the left side, right?”

“You got it sugar.” Alexx nodded in approval.

They set up the stand, then Alexx tied a tourniquet around Horatio's arm. Horatio stiffened, but Calliegh laid a gentle hand on his forehead. “It's okay, handsome. Just Alexx and Eric, setting up something to make you feel better. That's all.”

Horatio's eyes cracked, just a fraction, hazed over with sleep. He exhaled, one long sound that might have been a word, then his eyes closed and he relaxed, breathing evening out.

Alexx and Eric shared a quick look, then Alexx turned Horatio's arm over, finding the vein on the underside of his wrist. She prodded it a few times, then, quick as lightning, she inserted the needle. A moment later, a smile of satisfaction creased her face. “Perfect, right on target.” She taped the needle down, removed the tourniquet. “You're a good patient when you're out, sugar. Let's just get you set up on your medicine, and we'll just let you sleep.” She'd already set up a bag of solution, to hydrate him. She hung it carefully from the stand, then injected Horatio's medicines, one by one, into the port on the side. “There we go. That should hold you for a bit.” She ran a soothing hand across Horatio's arm. “You just rest now, Horatio.”

Calliegh watched as she capped the needles and threw them in a bag to take to the garbage. “You think he'll be okay now, Alexx?”

Alexx shrugged. “I can't say, Calliegh. Although...normally, with a case like this...it's gonna take a few days for the medicine to build up in his system. A lot's gonna depend on whether or not the previous antibiotics did anything for him. If not, I hate to say it, but he's probably gonna get a little worse before he starts getting better. We'll just have to keep our eyes on him, and see what happens.”

Eric sighed. “Back to waiting, huh?”

Alexx nodded. “Back to waiting.”


	6. Nightmares

The hours passed slowly. Horatio remained asleep. Every so often, he would become restless. Once or twice, he even seemed to rouse to a half-doze, but he never came fully awake. Usually, a soft touch and a soothing word was enough to make him relax, and fall back into a deep slumber.

Yelina and Ray Jr. arrived in the early afternoon to take over the nursing duties from Calliegh and Eric. Ray Jr. set his books and computer aside with a thud, then raced to check on his uncle. Calliegh met them at the door, and motioned for Yelina to join her in the living room for a moment. One eyebrow rose, but Yelina waited until they were both settled on the couch before she spoke. “How is he?”

Calliegh sighed. “I'm afraid there have been a few complications. It's mixed news, but I'm sorry to say that most of it isn't very good. She gave the other woman a quick summary of the previous night and morning. “We told the rest of the team over the phone, but I thought it might be best to tell you and Ray Jr. in person. The main thing you'll need to watch out for right now are episodes of agitation and delirium. We're trying to keep him on an IV, and we don't want to risk tearing it out. Also, there's a chance he'll have nightmares. He may even become semi-conscious, but not recognize either of you.”

Yelina nodded. “I understand. I'll tell Ray Jr.” She paused, studying Calliegh's face. “You seem...troubled.”

“I am a little, I suppose.” Calliegh frowned, then exhaled, willing her shoulders to stop tensing. “It's just...Horatio seems to only become semi-conscious when he's really upset by something. The first time it happened, he didn't seem to recognize Frank. Frank said he thought Horatio was either really angry or really frightened at him. And this last time, when we were trying to place his IV.” Calliegh sighed. “He was upset, but when he looked at me...I almost could have sworn Horatio called me 'mom', or something like that.”

Yelina nodded. “And he calmed down right after that?”

“Just like that. He went back to sleep, never even moved an inch.” Calliegh sighed.

Yelina smiled, but it was a rather grim smile, though tinged with affection. “I'm not surprised. According to Raymond, Horatio was very fond of their mother.”

Calliegh mulled the thought over. “I'm not really surprised. But...what about their father?”

Yelina grimaced. “Their father was always a taboo subject, for Horatio and Raymond both. I tried to talk about him once or twice, but Raymond refused to answer me. As for Horatio...the only thing he ever told me was that both parents were deceased, and I should leave it at that. I had to fight just to get his name from Raymond for a family tree project Ray Jr. did for school one year.”

Calliegh frowned. She knew Horatio could speak of even the most difficult subjects without batting an eye. In all the years she'd known him, she'd seen him go to countless families to give them closure, without flinching. It was one of the things she admired about him, that unflinching compassion. If he couldn't, or wouldn't, speak of his father...that was bad, and rather disturbing. She opened her mouth to ask another question, then shut it as her phone buzzed to life. She looked at the caller ID, then jumped to her feet. “That's Eric. Something's wrong.”

Both women raced into the room to find Horatio struggling, twisting, his face contorted in an expression of pain and fear. Eric was holding his wrist so the IV wouldn't tear out. On the other side of the bed Ray Jr. was standing helplessly, eyes wide as he watched his uncle. He looked up at their entrance. “Mom! Uncle H...there's something wrong with him! We were just watching him, and then...all of a sudden....he just...” Ray's voice stuttered over the words. “What's wrong with him?”

Calliegh caught Yelina's eye and motioned her to the frightened teen. Yelina was around the bed in a flash, pulling her son into a comforting embrace. “Shh...it's okay. Your uncle Horatio's just having a nightmare. We'll calm him down, all right.”

Calliegh made her way to the edge of the bed and sat down, narrowly missing Horatio's thrashing hand. She shifted, then reached out to lay a gentle hand on Horatio's shoulder. “Horatio? It's all right. Just relax, handsome. Everything's all right.”

Horatio shuddered under her touch, eyes cracking open. A single, hoarse word slipped past his lips. “Run.”

Calliegh tightened her grip, though she kept it as gentle and comforting as she could. “It's all right. There's no need to run, Horatio. Everyone's safe here.”

Horatio convulsed again, still caught in the grip of a nightmare. “Go...take Ray...run. Before he gets back.” He shuddered, twisting from her touch, his face a mask of anguish. “Have to...go. Before he...run!” His flailing hand caught her in the side and almost pushed her off the bed.

Eric spoke softly, but with authority. “No one's running anywhere, H. We're safe here. There's no need to run. Okay? Trust me. You gotta just relax.”

Horatio's eyes fluttered, blearily focusing on Eric's face. His gaze was still hazy with fever. “Ray...”

Eric felt his breath stop for a moment, then he tightened his grip gently on Horatio's hand. “He's not here, H. But it's okay. Nothing's gonna happen. It's okay.”

Horatio's hand clenched on his. “Ray...run. Get out. Take care...take...care of....”

Eric swallowed, then nodded. “Yeah. It's fine. Everything's gonna be okay. I'll take care of everything. Okay? You just relax. Just calm down.” He shook Horatio's hand gently. “Just relax.”

Horatio's grip slackened. Eric supported his head and shoulders as he fell back and edged him to the pillows. Horatio's breathing settled and evened out. His muscles relaxed. Eric held his hand a moment longer, then laid it gently back down on the pillow, his thoughts spinning.

It was Ray Jr who broke the silence. “Uncle H...he thought you were my dad?” He was staring at Eric. “Why?”

Eric shook his head. “Delirious, I guess.” He glanced at the sleeping man. “I don't think he was awake.”

Ray Jr swallowed. “Why was he asking you to run? Was it...” He bit his lip, then spoke again, much more softly. “Was it Mala Noche?”

Eric caught Calliegh and Yelina's eyes, then shrugged. “Can't say. Probably.”

Yelina smiled gently at her son and patted his shoulder, then gave him a soft push toward the door. “Go and get something to drink, and a snack if you want one. I need to talk to Calliegh and Eric before they leave.”

Ray Jr nodded, then left the room. Eric watched him go, then turned his attention to Horatio. The red-haired man was sleeping quietly, though his face was still flushed, his breathing low and strained. He looked up to see Calliegh and Yelina studying Horatio with nearly identical expressions of concern. He looked back at Horatio, then spoke. “You really think he was dreaming of Mala Noche?”

Calliegh shook her head. “No, I don't.” She was frowning thoughtfully. “Remember, when he saw me, he told me to take Ray and run.”

“It's not Mala Noche.” Yelina's eyes were dark. “Horatio never asked me to run, with Raymond or Ray Jr. If he was talking to a woman....” She trailed off.

“I kind of agree.” Calliegh grimaced. “The only other woman I know that got involved with Mala Noche was Marisol. But...aside from the fact that he wouldn't have sent her away with Raymond, I really can't see how he would have confused me with her. We don't really look that much alike.”

“No kidding.” Eric ran a hand through his hair. His mind went back over Horatio's words, looking for clues. “H said 'before _he_ comes back'. But Mala Noche is a gang.”

Calliegh nodded. “He might mean Riaz, I suppose. But I don't think nightmares are really all that coherent or linear, even without delirium. He could just as easily be referring to someone else, like Walter Resden or Clavo, or any one of a hundred guys he's put away aver the years. Or he could be referring to something none of us know anything about. I don't think we have enough information to tell. Not right at the moment.”

Eric nodded, acknowledging her words, but he still felt troubled. He glanced back at his superior's still face, then sighed.

“You're still concerned.” Yelina's observation was quiet, and sounded as unsettled as he felt.

Eric sighed again. “Yeah, I am.” He shifted uncomfortably, looking for the words he needed. “I've seen H face off with a lot of nasty dudes, you know? Creeps like Riaz, or Resden. Sometimes even worse guys than that. I've even saw him walk right up to this guy...this guy was holding a gun, pointing it right at him, and he wasn't armed. And he walked right up to him, until the gun was touching him. He was talking to the guy, just standing there with this...this gun digging into his chest. Scared the crap out of me.” He looked at the two women. “I've never heard H sound afraid before. But these nightmares...he sounds scared. Almost...like he's terrified.” He shook his head, trying to reject the thought. “I don't like it. I mean, what the hell could possibly scare H, you know?” He gestured helplessly to the figure on the bed.

Calliegh nodded. “I know what you mean.” She sighed, pushing her long blond hair back from her face in an unconscious gesture. “Still, I think we're just going to have to deal with the nightmares as they happen.”

“Yeah. I guess so.” Eric ran his hand through his hair once more, then glanced at the clock. “Calliegh and I have to get to work.” He faced Yelina. “Will you and the kid be okay here with him?”

Yelina smiled tightly. “We will manage. And if we have any trouble, I'll be sure to call Alexx immediately.”

Eric nodded. “Okay. Ryan and Natalia should be in sometime this evening.” He made a face. “I don't think we need to discuss this around the crime labs, so...”

Yelina nodded. “I'll tell them about Horatio when they arrive.”

Calliegh sighed. “All right then.” She moved around the bed and bent to pick up her purse. “Eric and I will be going. Keep us updated, especially if anything changes, okay?”

“Of course.” Yelina made a shooing motion with one hand. “Go. I will tend to Horatio.” Eric and Calliegh nodded, then left.

Horatio remained quiet throughout the day. He stirred restlessly a few times, and Yelina took the opportunity to try and give him sips of water, or broth, then soothed him and laid him back to rest. Ray Jr alternated between sitting at his uncle's bedside and the living room, where his computer had been set up to do his school work. He helped his mother with changing cloths and checking the IV, and sometimes with simply keeping Horatio company, but his eyes were uneasy.

Natalia and Ryan arrived around seven. Ray Jr met them at the door and ushered them back to the bedroom. Ryan dropped his stuff in the living room, then followed the young man back, stopping abruptly in the doorway with a frown. “Hey, isn't that an IV?” His gaze flicked to Yelina as his brow furrowed. “I thought we weren't using those, because H doesn't like needles.”

Yelina nodded and set aside the cloth she had been using to cool Horatio's face. “We weren't. Unfortunately, there has been a change of plans. Horatio's condition has deteriorated, and this was the best we could do.”

“Really? Sounds serious.” Natalia slipped in around Ryan, then settled in across from Yelina. “Tell us about it.” She frowned, then reached out to lay a hand on Horatio's forehead. She winced. “Whoa. He's burning up.”

Ryan frowned. “He had a fever when Frank and I were looking out for him last night, and this morning. But I thought Alexx called the doctor. The one from the hospital. Dr...Reynolds?”

Yelina nodded again. “She did. Unfortunately, his condition had already worsened.”

Ryan nodded. “Okay. So what did the doc say?” He glanced at his sleeping supervisor. “What's wrong?”

Yelina gave them a quick summary of Horatio's condition and medications, along with the doctor's instructions. She finished it with an explanation of the odd delirium driven dreams.

Natalia frowned. “Nightmares and delusions? That sounds serious. Is it okay to leave him here?”

Yelina sighed. “We have no choice, at this point. Unfortunately, we have no idea who, or what, Horatio is remembering in these dreams. We have no way of knowing what it is he is so afraid of, so we cannot avoid it.” her expression was grave as she watched Horatio's chest rise and fall.

Ryan's frown was a match for hers. “He had one of those when Frank and I were with him. He seemed afraid of Frank, of all people. But I thought it was an isolated incident.”

“It isn't. You should know, if he suffers another spell, he will most likely not recognize you. He may address you as someone completely different.” Yelina's eyes were troubled. “And there is no way of knowing how he will respond to you.”

Natalia nodded. “I've seen that before. This...group I belong to. We've seen some of that.” She shivered slightly, wrapping her arms around herself.

Yelina saw the gesture. “Will you be all right, handling Horatio?”

Natalia nodded and forced up a smile. “Yeah. Yeah, sure, no problem. I was just...a little surprised.” She shook her head. “I'm good. You should probably take Ray Jr home and get him some dinner. Ryan and I can handle it.”

Yelina studied them a moment, then nodded. “Call me if you need anything.” Then she left them, calling for her son. Ten minutes later they heard the muted thud of the front door closing.

Natalia started slightly at the sound. Ryan tapped her shoulder. “You okay?”

Natalia nodded, a forced half-smile on her face. “Yeah, sure. I'm fine.” She picked up the bowl of water, then rose from her seat. “Hey, I'm gonna get some fresh water for him and something to drink. This is lukewarm. You want anything from the kitchen?”

Ryan shook his head. “I'm good.” He watched her leave, then moved to the opposite side of the bed and settled into his chair. He studied Horatio's pale face, slightly damp with sweat. “I wish you could say the same, H. I really do.” he sighed, then shifted into a slightly more comfortable position. He felt tired, after the shift he'd had last night to this morning. He was lucky he'd been able to catch some sleep, since it was his day off. That was one of the reasons he'd agreed to a second shift this evening.

Natalia returned a few minutes later, looking much more cheerful and like herself. She had fresh water in the bowl, and a cup in one hand. She settled in, set the bowl down, and re-soaked the cloth to apply to Horatio's forehead. “You sure you don't want anything?”

Ryan nodded. He wanted to ask what had upset her so badly, but he wasn't sure how. He settled for a different topic of discussion. “So, pizza sound good for dinner?” He smiled. “I'll even treat.”

Natalia grinned. “Sounds great.” She leaned forward, to touch Horatio's forehead gently. “You check his temperature yet?”

“No.” Ryan glanced around and found the thermometer. “You want to do it, or should I?”

“I can do it.” Natalia took it from him. “Help me get it in his mouth?”

Ryan nodded and leaned forward. Moving carefully, he set his hands on Horatio's jaw and pulled his mouth open, just enough for Natalia to insert the thermometer. Horatio didn't really fight him, but he twitched, stiffening ever so slightly. Lines of unease furrowed his sleeping face as Ryan gently clamped his mouth closed around the thermometer, and his hands clenched in the bedspread.

Ryan and Natalia shared an uneasy look. The thermometer beeped, and Natalia wasted no time pulling it from Horatio's mouth. Ryan let go equally quickly, heaving a sigh of relief as Horatio relaxed. “So, how is he?”

“101.8.” Natalia wiped the thermometer off and replaced it in it's case.

“That's good. It's lower than it was this morning. Lower than I think it's been in a while, actually.” Ryan relaxed into his seat. “Think it means he's getting better?”

Natalia shrugged. “I hope so.” She sat back in her own chair, her eyes once again dark with concern. She looked a little uneasy. Ryan was about to ask her about it when she looked up at him. “It's just...strange, you know? Seeing him like this.” She gestured to Horatio. “And thinking about him being delirious, having nightmares, hallucinating....”

“Yeah. It isn't a pleasant experience.” Ryan grimaced. “I was here for the one this morning. I thought he was actually trying to hit Frank. It was creepy.” He shivered. “I mean, it was Frank. Those two have been friends for years, decades even, and H didn't recognize him at all.”

Natalia winced. “You don't think he's going to wake up with some sort of weird amnesia, do you? From the fall and everything? He did have a head injury.”

Ryan shook his head. “Scans at the hospital came up clean, so I doubt it. I'm not sure H was really even conscious. He didn't recognize me either. It's like he was dreaming.” Ryan shifted uncomfortably, then abruptly rose from his chair. “You know...we should probably order the pizza soon. How about I go get some water and call it in?”

Natalia nodded. “Sure. I like pepperoni, olives, peppers, and extra cheese. You?”

“Just plain sausage.” Ryan frowned at his phone. “How about I get a small for each of us?”

“Sounds great.” Natalia looked back at Horatio. “Why don't you wait by the front door until it gets here? I mean, it's pretty quiet, and we don't want to risk letting the delivery guy disturb him.” She held up her phone. “If anything changes, I'll yell for you.”

Ryan frowned. “You sure?”

“Yeah.” She gave him a weak, lopsided smile. “I'm sure.”

“Okay. Should be here in an hour, or less.” Ryan gave his partner one last searching glance, then ducked out the door.

*****TiS*****

Ryan returned just over an hour later, carrying two boxes, and two bottles. “I went ahead and got some drinks.” He handed her one, then set the other on the stand and flipped the lid of the top box. “This one's yours.” He passed it to her, then fished a wad of napkins out of a pocket. “Hope you don't mind.”

“Not at all.” Natalia set aside the magazine she'd been reading and took them. “This works great for me. Saves on dishes too.”

“Yeah.” Ryan maneuvered into his own seat, then nodded toward the sleeping man. “Any change?”

“Nope.” Natalia shook her head as she opened the box. “Just been catching up on some magazines I borrowed from a friend.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Ryan opened his own box. “Though honestly...I kind of prefer it to last night. I mean, Frank and I were thinking how boring it was, and then H...I think I prefer boring after that.”

“I know what you mean.” Natalia unscrewed her bottle cap, then saluted him with the open bottle. “To a quiet, boring evening with nothing to do but read and make small talk.”

“Right.” Ryan returned the salute, then grabbed a slice of pizza. Natalia grinned and followed suit.

Twenty minutes later, both of them were finishing their third slice. Natalia swallowed the last bite of the crust and licked her fingers, then rose to put the box to one side. She was just rising when a low moan broke the silence. Both CSI's froze, eyes snapping to their superior's face.

In the dim light of the room, Horatio's expression had gone tight, lines of distress framing his mouth and eyes. His hands twitched, then clenched, and another moan cut through the room. Ryan had his pizza shut and shoved to one side in an instant, his drink forgotten on the nightstand. Natalia was only a half step behind him.

Horatio groaned again, then flinched, head snapping to one side and his whole body jerking. Seconds later, his head twisted the other way, another groan wrenched from his throat as his arms flinched in an aborted gesture upward.

Ryan and Natalia shared a quick look, then Ryan leaned over. “H. It's Ryan. It's okay.” He touched Horatio's shoulder. “Come on, wake up.”

At his touch, Horatio flinched again, much more violently, and cried out. Concerned, Ryan caught his wrist, to try and prevent him from wrenching the IV out. At his touch, Horatio's body spasmed, panic and pain flaring in the man's face. “No. Please...no...I...not...again...please...”

“Shit.” Ryan let go, then leaned forward to catch Horatio's shoulders. “H. Come on, it's me. Ryan. You're safe. I swear.” Horatio thrashed against his hands, face contorted with pain.

“Here. Let me try.” Natalia moved around the bed and tapped Ryan's shoulder. The young CSI let go immediately and backed away.

Natalia sat down and took Horatio's wrist in a gentle grip, then ran the back of her fingers across his face and brow, the way a mother would her child. “Hey. Hey. It's okay. Nothing's happening. It's okay. Just relax.”

Horatio flinched again. Natalia continued to speak. “Just relax. I promise, it's not real. Just a dream, okay?”

Blue eyes cracked open, unfocused, unseeing. Natalia cupped Horatio's face gently. “Hey. Just relax for me, okay?”

There was no recognition in the fever-fogged gaze. Then Horatio blinked, lips soundlessly forming one word. “Mom?”

“Just go back to sleep. Nothing's going to happen. I promise.” Natalia stiffened visibly at the word, but kept up her soothing speech. She stroked Horatio's face, brushed the hair out of his eyes. Then she picked up the damp cloth and bathed his face gently with it. Horatio relaxed completely at the touch. Natalia picked up the water cup she'd brought in. “Can you drink something?” She held the cup to his lips and tipped a little liquid into his mouth.

Horatio spluttered and coughed. Natalia handed the cup to Ryan, then patted Horatio's back. “Okay. It's okay. That's fine.” She leaned him back, then ran the cloth over his face again. The last tension went out of Horatio's face, and his eyes closed once more. After a few more moments, his breathing evened out, and his heart-rate returned to normal.

Ryan exhaled explosively. “Whew. I thought he was gonna fight us, or rip that IV out for sure.” He studied his partner. “That was...absolutely amazing. How did you do that?”

Natalia's face was pale, and she didn't respond. Ryan stared at her, admiration turning to concern. When a minute passed in silence, he reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder. Natalia jumped and stared at him with wide eyes. “Natalia? You okay?”

“What? Yeah. Just a little shaken.” She shook her head.

Ryan nodded. “How did you do that?” He gestured to Horatio, sleeping peacefully.

Natalia blinked, then shifted. “Just...something I picked up.”

Ryan shook his head. “That isn't in any CSI training I ever heard of, or FBI.” He wouldn't normally have challenged her on it, but she looked spooked, and his instincts were screaming that she wasn't telling him something, something important.

“Not at work.” Natalia shivered, then met his eyes, her expression slightly sick. “It's the kind of stuff you learn when you deal with people who have been traumatized on a regular basis.”

“Traumatized? Like hurt, or...” Ryan frowned. Then, with a sinking feeling, he realized what she was talking about. “Natalia...”

“I'm talking about women and children who've been abused.” Natalia looked away. “There's this...network...and we help each other out.” She gave him a look, a pained grimace. “Everyone has nightmares.”

“Yeah. I bet.” He'd never been in that position, but he'd gone through some rough times, been beaten up by gangs a couple times. No matter what your job was in law enforcement, you eventually saw a few things you didn't want to. He looked back at the bed. “You think H...?” he couldn't bring himself to say the words.

Natalia swallowed. “You know...there's a lot of different ways of dealing. Some people break down. Some people...they close themselves up. Some people...they're willing to do...pretty extreme things.” She swallowed again. “I know Horatio...sometimes...I wondered. He wasn't surprised, when I told him about the network. But...he didn't know about it either.” She stopped, biting her lip.

Ryan grimaced. “You think H was an abuse victim?” He didn't want to believe it. He didn't even want to contemplate it. And yet...the nightmares...

“Probably as a child, if anything.” Natalia looked sick. Ryan's stomach was rolling uncomfortably. “He called me mom. He didn't recognize you, and he got violent when you tried to hold him down.” She shook her head. “I can't prove anything. I could be way off base with this Ryan.”

“But the evidence fits. And if we're going to take care of him, then we have to accept the possibility that H is an abuse victim, probably unidentified, and is having traumatic flashbacks.” Even saying the words made Ryan queasy. He swallowed back the urge to throw up. “Actually...that theory explains a lot more than just the nightmares.” He remembered the scars they'd seen on Horatio's body. “Crap.”

Natalia flinched at the word, and swallowed again, as if fighting back her own gag reflex. “Ryan, what do we do?”

Ryan thought a moment, then glanced at the clock. 10 pm. pulled out his phone. “I hate to do this, especially to him, but we need to let Alexx and the rest of the team know. And Yelina and Frank.” he grimaced. “I hope he doesn't hate me when he wakes up.”

“Yeah.” Natalia nodded. “You call Eric and Calliegh. I'll call Alexx, Frank and Yelina.”

“Tell them to meet us here, that there's been a development.” Ryan was already dialing.

“Yeah.” Natalia pulled up the first number, then ducked into the hall to make her call.


	7. Unwelcome Guest

An hour later, the group was assembled in Horatio's living room. Yelina brought Ray Jr with her and sent him to watch over his uncle, while the rest of them talked. She settled him in the bedroom with a book, then rejoined the others.

Frank was the first to speak. “Okay, what's all this fuss about? You said there was a development? Did Horatio get worse? Better? Did he wake up?”

“Not really.” Ryan swallowed hard. Faced with telling the entire team of their speculations, the words seemed to stick in his throat. He swallowed again. “How much does anyone know about H's childhood?”

Frank shrugged. “Grew up in New York. One brother, no sisters. I think his parents died when he was a teenager. That's about it. Horatio doesn't like to talk about it.”

Yelina frowned. “I know his relationship to his mother was fairly affectionate. But he and Raymond refused to talk about his father. It was a taboo subject.”

Frank frowned. “I think he came from one of the rougher neighborhoods. He always was pretty good in a fight. At least as long as I've known him.” His scowl deepened. “What the hell's all this about Ryan? You didn't call us all out this late just to discuss Horatio's childhood.”

“Ummm...yes and no.” Ryan swallowed again. “It's just...”

“There's a possibility that Horatio was the victim of domestic violence as a child. He might have been abused.” Natalia spoke the words quickly, wrapping her arms around herself.

“You're joking.” Frank's voice was flat and disbelieving.

Natalia met his gaze, her face pale. “He had a nightmare. He didn't recognize either of us, but he called me mom. He also reacted violently to physical contact, especially Ryan.”

Calliegh frowned. “You know, he called me mom as well. But it's really odd for him to mistake both of us as his mother.”

“Not if it ain't you he's seeing, honey.” Alexx's expression was grave. “Eric...those scars you don't wanna tell me about...are they extensive enough to support the theory?”

Eric winced, a slightly sick expression on his face. “Yeah. Easily.”

Frank shook his head. “Horatio, a victim? You can't be serious.”

“Really?” Eric met Frank's gaze with a level stare. “You saw those scars. You really think it's impossible?” Frank started to open his mouth, but Eric cut him off. “I don't want to think it either. None of us do. But if you think about it, he fits the profile, or one of them. He doesn't talk about his past, he's reluctant to seek professional counseling when there's an incident. He's obviously been hurt by something. The way he responds to victims, especially of domestic violence...it's possible.” he shuddered. “I'd rather believe anything else, but the first rule of investigation...”

“You work with facts. And the facts say it's at least a possibility that Horatio is a victim. It would explain the violent reactions he's having, if the nightmares are actually flashbacks or memories.” Calliegh's expression was grave. “There's no proof, but we can't afford to rule it out.”

“Fine.” Frank sighed and leaned against the wall, folding his arms over his chest. “Let's say, for sake of argument, that Horatio is an abuse victim. What do we do? We don't know the whole story. I know we've all had the training for this kind of thing, but this isn't exactly a normal situation. For one thing, he's mostly unconscious. For another, when he isn't unconscious, he's delirious. It's really damn difficult to tell what's triggering him.”

Calliegh nodded. “True. But there are a few things we can do. For one: No raised voices in his room. Also, don't touch him unless you have to, and keep it as gentle as possible. We don't know who or what he's seeing, so if he reacts badly to you, back off immediately, unless doing so presents a greater risk to Horatio or your partner.”

Eric spoke up. “He seems to be reacting better to a woman's presence, at least so far.”

Yelina frowned. “That is...partially true. He isn't as frightened of us, and he seems to be less violent, but still...”

“He kept asking for 'Ray' to take 'her' and run. And despite the fact that he sometimes responds positively, there's an equal number of times where a female presence increases his agitation.” Calliegh finished the thought.

Ryan chewed his lip absently. “Without H awake, we're really just guessing, aren't we? Anything we do could help, or make the situation worse.”

“Yeah.” Frank looked at Yelina. “I really hate to say this, but I don't think your kid should come any more.”

“No. You're right.” Yelina shook her head. “Ray Jr doesn't need to see his uncle like this. Besides...if these really are memories of Horatio's childhood, then his presence will only agitate him further. Ray looks too much like his father.”

“So...do we just go on like we were, or what?” Ryan was frowning.

“That's about the best we can do.” Alexx sighed. “Without more information, we're just gonna have to do the best we can for the man.”

Calliegh nodded. “That really is about all we can do. We've already adjusted the schedule for the most effective set-up, and without all the details, there's no point in changing it. We'll just have to take each incident as it comes.”

“Mom!” As if on cue, a frightened shout came from the bedroom. All of them were out of their chairs and moving before it finished. Eric and Calliegh got to the doorway first, Alexx right behind them.

Inside, Horatio was lying on the bed, his body twisting spasmodically as he flinched and jerked. His head tossed back and forth, desperate low moans issuing from between clenched teeth. Even as Eric stepped aside to let Alexx inside, Horatio's body spasmed again, twisting as if he were trying to curl into a fetal position and was unable. Then his head snapped back, spine straightening as another choked cry wrenched from him.

Eric caught his shoulders before another spasm could injure him further. Horatio's wrist was already bleeding from where he'd wrenched out the IV. At Eric's touch he cried out, his voice hoarse and broken. “Stop! Please...I...please stop...I...I won't...”

Alexx came to his other side, caught his hand and gently stroked his face. “Shh. Shh. Horatio sugar, take it easy. It's all a bad dream. Ain't nothing bad gonna happen to you.” She ran her hand over his brow. “You wake up now, honey. You're all right. Just a bad dream.”

Horatio shuddered, then his struggles subsided. His breath came in ragged short gasps. “No...please...”

“It's all right. You're safe. It's all right.” Alexx continued to hold his hand. She brushed the sweat-dampened hair back from his face. “You're gonna be all right.”

Horatio's head tossed fitfully. “Please...please don't...don't hurt her...”

Eric swallowed, his stomach churning as he realized Horatio was speaking to him, or whoever the red-haired man thought he was. He carefully loosened his hold. “No one's gonna hurt her, H. No one's gonna hurt her, or you, or anyone else here.” He clasped his brother-in-law's shoulder gently, trying to provide reassurance.

Horatio relaxed. He inhaled, then coughed roughly as the deeper breath irritated the already raw tissues. Alexx administered a dose of inhaler, then tipped a few swallows of water down his throat. Horatio swallowed, then relaxed completely, lapsing back into unconscious oblivion. The rest of the room let out a collective sigh of relief.

Ray Jr stepped forward hesitantly. His eyes were wide with distress. “Mom, what's wrong with Uncle Horatio?” The teenager was staring at the still form on the bed. “He was asleep, and then he started...twitching, I guess. I tried to calm him down, but...” Ray Jr swallowed. “He looked at me, but it was like he didn't see me. Then he...he sort of shoved me. He was muttering weird stuff like 'run' and 'he's coming'. And then...he just started acting like that....” He swallowed again and looked back at his mother. “What's wrong with him?”

Yelina gathered her son into her arms. “Your Uncle Horatio is very sick.” She rubbed his back reassuringly. “He probably had a bad dream, and mistook you for someone else.” She patted his shoulder, then exchanged a long look with Calliegh. The blond nodded. “Come on. I think we should go home for now.”

Ray Jr bit his lip. “Is it okay to leave him like this?” There was concern in the boy's eyes.

“I'm sure Dr. Woods and the others will take care of him.” Yelina nudged her son towards the door. After a moment the boy went, and a minute later they heard the quiet, distant thud of the front door closing.

Calliegh sighed and looked back at her sleeping superior. “Well, I don't know about proof, but I'd say that was pretty solid confirmation of our fears.”

“No kidding. Unless Horatio did a stint as a prisoner of war in _really_ hostile territory or got captured by a serious psychopath, and we somehow never found out about it.” Frank's jaw was tight, his eyes smoldering with suppressed rage. “Tell you what though, I'd really like to get my hands on the bastard that caused that.”

Eric smiled, a grim, humorless smile. “You'd have to get in line.”

Natalia shook her head. “Talking like that isn't going to help.”

“You're right.” Alexx shook her head. “There's time enough when Horatio's up to think about that sort of thing. For now...we've got a very sick and hurting man to tend, and I suggest that all of you focus on that.” She leveled a glare a look at them.

Frank nodded. “You got it, Alexx.” He sighed, looking at his best friend, lying motionless under the sheets. “I sure as hell hope this blows over quickly though.” Everyone else nodded in agreement.

*****TiS*****

The next two days were some of the longest the team had ever faced. None of them felt comfortable asking Ray Jr and Yelina to return to Horatio's side, and none of them dared to suggest one-man shifts while his condition was so unstable. Calliegh talked to the Chief. She told him only that Horatio's condition had worsened, and it was no longer possible to take care of him in a hospital. The man was sympathetic and agreed to let her do whatever was needed. Horatio was, after all, one of his best officers, and had served with the department long and well.

The team took to splitting shifts, alternating days off. They all knew they were losing sick days and vacation days, but none of them truly minded. Still, the constant worry for Horatio was wearing. Though the congestion cleared quickly enough and his temperature lowered a little, the fever didn't completely break. The nightmares continued to come with unabated ferocity, torturing him and shredding all of their nerves. The necessity of supplying liquids and medicine finally forced Alexx to jury-rig an slightly longer IV drip of spare tubing, which she then triple-taped to Horatio's arm.

Three days after their meeting, Calliegh entered the lab for a morning shift. They'd caught two cases, and as the acting head of the lab it was her job to see that things were progressing smoothly. She wasn't too concerned, both cases looked fairly simple, and had provided plenty of evidence. Still, there were reports to fill out, leads to follow up on. They had to gather proof, follow due process and all that. The second case had also involved a gun allegedly used during an assault, which meant she was needed to finalize and report on tests in the ballistics lab.

She made good progress, filled out two of the reports and confirmed that the gun in evidence had in fact been used in the crime. She made notes of it, then returned it to the evidence locker. She was just heading out for a bite of lunch when a familiar voice stopped her. “Calliegh! CSI Dusquene!”

Calliegh tensed, then turned, trying to keep her cool mask of professionalism on. She'd expected to have Stetler confronting one of them eventually, but she'd hoped to avoid it. She sighed as the IAB agent came up to her. “Stetler.”

“Calliegh. I need to talk to you.” Rick was frowning slightly.

“Can it wait? I'm really kind of busy, and I was just gonna go grab a quick bite to eat before I get back to the lab analysis. We've got two cases going.”

“And half your CSI team is missing. CSI Wolfe called in a sick day, and CSI Delko worked a late shift yesterday and has today off. Detective Tripp was MIA earlier. You were out yesterday. And...the real interesting part: I haven't seen even one glimpse of CSI Caine in this lab for almost two weeks. Come to think of it, I haven't seen our Lead ME in just about as long.” Stetler leveled a stare at her. “What the hell's going on?”

“Horatio is out on medical leave, following a moderately severe concussion as a result of an accident. As for the rest...probably a coincidence.” She shrugged. “I was out attending to personal business yesterday.”

“Yeah. I've noticed that Horatio's team has a lot of 'personal business' time racking up. And a lot of sick leave being taken. Which is interesting, since it seems to be coming in 24 hour bursts, and none of you looks the least bit ill when you show back up.” Stetler glared. “Come on, Dusquene.”

Calliegh sighed, trying to conceal her unease with exaggerated exasperation. “Look. All the leave time we've taken has been approved by the Chief. If you've got a problem with it, I suggest you talk to him.”

“I intend to. But it would be easier if you'd just tell me what the hell is going on with you people.” He sighed. “Look, I'm just concerned about the status of the lab. You guys could easily fall behind with things happening like this. And if there's a health problem, you could contaminate the lab, or the evidence. Besides....concussion?” He snorted. “Horatio has a skull that could split titanium. And even if he didn't, that man's never missed a day of work, not in the ten years and more I've worked with him. Hell, he barely even took a half day for his own wedding. The man doesn't do sick days. Not unless he's dying. ”

“I wouldn't know if he is or not. Maybe the Chief ordered him to stay off, take a break.”

“If he had, you'd know that, since you're Assistant Supervisor.” Stetler sighed again. “Look, I know something's wrong. And I know there's something wrong with Horatio. I know your team is in on the whole thing. I just want to know what the hell is going on here.”

“I've already told you, I have no idea what you're referring to. I can only guess that there's been a lot of stuff happening outside the lab. As long as the Chief approves the absences, what everyone else is doing is none of my business. And what I'm doing, or Horatio's doing, is none of yours. He's out on medical leave. Now...if you'll excuse me, I really need to get some lunch. After all, as you say, we are short-handed, and I have evidence waiting for me.”

She turned on her heel without waiting an answer and walked away. She was half afraid Stetler would call her back, or follow her into the elevator, but he didn't. She sighed, then pulled out her phone. Eric and Alexx needed to know Stetler was poking around.

*****TiS*****

That evening, Rick Stetler sat in his car, staring at the door a few yards away.

He knew Horatio's address. It was on file, and he'd had cause to look it up before. Just like he'd had cause, now and again, to follow the CSI to church. Especially when he went on odd days, when the church was empty. He'd never followed the man past the door, but he'd never really needed to.

He chewed on his lip, thinking. He knew something was going on. Alexx Woods had called in for personal time off, amount of time unspecified. Horatio Caine was allegedly on medical leave for a concussion. He had a feeling the two were connected. Even if he _had_ sustained a concussion, Horatio would have come to the office, if only to do paperwork and check on his team. Alexx Woods was an equally dedicated ME. The only thing that could keep her out was something wrong with one of her kids, or her husband. Or the CSI team, and Horatio in particular. In point of fact, Alexx Woods was the only person who could reliably keep Horatio down and resting for any length of time.

The behavior of the CSI team as a whole was highly suspicious. He hadn't missed the fact that the only people taking 'sick leave' and 'personal time' were people who worked closely with Horatio. Delko, Wolfe, Dusquene, BoaVista, Tripp. Occasionally Valera, from the lab. Alexx Woods. No one else seemed to have been struck with random family emergencies or bouts of 24 hour flu.

He would have suspected a strike, but there was no impetus for one. Nor were they consistent about their absences. And all of them were dedicated workers. No...there was something wrong. Something that he'd bet his last nickel involved Horatio Caine, and the man's mysterious two week absence. He frowned. Come to think of it, for a concussion to cause this long an absence, the man would have to be in a coma, or nearly. But in that case he should have been in the hospital, and IAB should have received an incident report.

He scowled, then jerked the keys from his car and threw the door open. He wanted answers. He and Horatio had always had a rather rocky relationship. He'd always resented the other man for getting the promotion he'd wanted. He hated being IAB, stuck with all the thankless work while Horatio showed up as a hero every other week. But he'd learned things over the years about the red-haired CSI. Things he hadn't really wanted to know. Time and understanding had cooled his intense dislike into grudging respect, and an odd sort of protectiveness. He didn't like Horatio, but he'd be damned if he see someone else take him down. Or something.

He strode up to the door, noting the two cars in the driveway and the faint light from the windows. He thought he recognized Delko's car, and Wolfe's, and his frown deepened. What the hell were the two CSI's doing at Horatio's house? Especially when one of them was supposed to be sick. He set his jaw. If they were all simply skipping out, he'd make sure there was hell to pay.

He knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Frowning, he knocked again, then hit the doorbell. He was about to try the doorknob to see if it was unlocked when the latch clicked, and the door jerked open.

Eric was standing in the doorway. He looked Rick up and down, and his jaw tightened. “Stetler.”

“Delko. Fancy meeting you here. I came by to talk to Horatio. Heard he was injured.”

“Yeah. Well, he's resting. You should come back later.”

“I won't be long.” He put his foot in the door to prevent Eric from shutting it in his face. “Look, if he has a work related injury, we need to get the paperwork in for Worker's Comp. You know that. It's already late. Just a few minutes, and I'll leave him alone.”

Eric's jaw tightened further. “I said, H is resting. I don't want to disturb him. You should come back later.”

“I'll wait if I have to. I don't mind. In the meantime, you can tell me what you and CSI Wolfe are doing here.” He met the Cuban's eyes with a challenging stare.

“Came over to help out with some stuff. H is my brother-in-law. Wolfe said he had cabin fever, asked to come along and keep an eye on things so Alexx could leave.”

“Yeah, about that. Why exactly would Dr. Woods be here? If it's a serious injury, shouldn't he be in the hospital?” Stetler smiled grimly.

“Too much security risk. We agreed it wasn't safe. Didn't want press or some gang initiation disrupting a quiet hospital.” Eric met his stare solidly. “Alexx agreed to monitor him. I think she wants H to help her with some other stuff, decided to trade favors with him.”

“Right. You know, there are secured wings for this sort of thing.”

Eric shrugged. “This was the best option. That's all.”

“Okay. Fine.” Rick shrugged the answer aside. “Just tell me one thing. If the ME is monitoring him, then why is the entire CSI team taking random days off? Cause, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were _all_ trying to look out for him.”

Eric's jaw tightened briefly, then relaxed. “Must be a coincidence.” There was an edge of uneasiness to him though, Rick could feel it. He forced himself to maintain a calm expression.

There was a muffled sound from a back room. It sounded like a dull thump, or perhaps a curse. Or both. Eric spun around instantly, whole body tensing.

“Eric! I need a hand here!” A voice, definitely recognizable as Ryan Wolfe's, echoed down the hallway.

Eric cursed. “Shit!” he turned back. “I don't have time for this crap, Stetler. Just go away. You can talk to H when he's better.” He kicked Rick's foot out of the way and slammed the door.

Rick hesitated, then tried the door. As he'd hoped, the CSI had been in too much of a hurry to lock it. He turned it, then softly nudged the door open, gratified it didn't creak. He took a moment to shut it behind him, then paused, listening. He heard another thud, low muffled voices, and headed in that direction. He found what sounded like the correct door, pushed partially closed, and stopped for a moment. Ryan and Eric, both speaking in low tones, with an edge of desperation. And a rough, hoarse voice that sounded almost like Horatio's. Or what Horatio might have sounded like if he'd gargled glass.

Rick scowled, then shoved the door open. The sight that met his eyes froze him in his tracks.

Horatio was lying in the bed in the center of the room, thrashing. Eric was holding one arm, with an IV running to the elbow, clearly trying to prevent him from pulling it out. Ryan Wolfe was on the other side, trying to coax the man to either wake up or calm down, with very little effect. Horatio's body was twisting and jerking within their grips, low muttered words mixed with groans as his face twisted in pain.

Rick bit his lip. He hadn't imagined anything like this. Even with some of the things he knew about the man. He heard Horatio cry out again, back arching slightly against the hands of his two CSI team members. He frowned then moved into the room, listening.

Horatio tossed. “No...please...stop...” His eyes cracked open, blinked, wild and unfocused with no recognition in them at all. “Please...”

Fever glazed eyes found him, there at the end of the bed. “Ray...run. Don't let him...get...get out...” Horatio broke off with a pained cry, twisting again. “Ray...run...”

He didn't like Horatio, but hearing _that_...there were things he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy, and this nightmare terror was one of them. Since the blue eyes were focused on him, he moved to Ryan's side of the bed, gesturing the younger man out of the way. “Horatio. It's me.”

“Get...” Horatio's face twisted. “Don't let him...Ray...”

He scowled, then took Horatio's hand. “Okay. Let's go.”

Horatio shuddered. “I...can't...you have to...”

“I won't leave you behind.” He tightened his grip, just a little. “It's going to be okay, you got that? You just come with me. It'll all work out. Just relax and come with me.”

Horatio shuddered again, tugging at the arm Eric still had pinned. The CSI let him go. Horatio immediately relaxed, falling limp against his pillows. Eric held a cup to his lips and he drank. Then the blue eyes closed completely, his breathing deepened, and he fell back into unconsciousness.

Ryan spoke. “Eric....what is Stetler doing here?”

Rick turned to glare at him. “I could ask you the same thing. Aren't you supposed to be out on a sick day?”

The young man's jaw tightened in recognizable defiance. “I got better.”

“Yeah, I'm sure. And right now, I don't really care. I want to know what the hell _that_ was all about.” He gestured to the bed, and turned back to Eric.

The Cuban stared back at him, fury in his eyes. “This doesn't leave this room.”

He sighed. “Look, investigating is my job...”

“It doesn't leave this room.” Eric's voice was hard. Horatio stirred, and the CSI immediately turned to lay a gentle hand on his shoulder, calming him.

That was enough to decide him. “Fine. I won't say a word. Just tell me what's going on.”

“He has pneumonia. It was a weird case, hit him sudden, and he collapsed and hit his head.” Eric's voice was flat, but quiet.

“So he does have a concussion.” It was nice to know they hadn't actually _lied_ to him.

“Yeah. But this illness, it's dangerous. So far, his fever hasn't broken yet. He has these...nightmares...”

“Nightmares my ass.” Rick shook his head. “He's delirious, isn't he?”

“Yeah.” Eric gave him a humorless smile. “You're lucky. He actually thought you were his brother. Half the time when we try to talk to him, he just retreats from us. Or he gets worse.”

Rick frowned. “Why the hell isn't he in a hospital?”

“The doctor said it might take as long as a month for him to heal. H has a lot of enemies. We didn't think we could prevent the press from getting wind of it, or someone who has a grudge against him. This was the safest place. Besides...you honestly think we could let anyone see him like _that_?” Eric gestured. “We didn't know if this was gonna happen, or what the hell he was gonna start talking about if it did. H knows a lot of secrets, and some of it is stuff that the public really doesn't need to know.”

He had to admit Eric had a point there. Cases were confidential, except for court. Not to mention Horatio knew how the department worked inside and out. One outburst at the wrong time would leave criminals and terrorists with detrimental information. “Okay. I got that.” he studied the man. “So...he gets sick, cracks his head, you don't want to leave him where there's public access, so you and the rest of the team decide to play private nursing staff?”

Eric nodded. “Yeah.”

“And you got the Chief's approval?”

“Of course we did.” Ryan's tone was as quiet as Eric's, and still as defiant as before.

He really couldn't find anything to say to that. He already knew they weren't lying about departmental approval. And he was beginning to have some suspicions of what, exactly, Horatio had been dreaming of. Hallucinating. If he was right...he felt oddly uncomfortable at the thought.

He sighed, then looked at the hand he still held. His eyes widened. “What the...” He turned the arm, seeing the faint scars. “What the hell is this?”

“Don't know.” Eric's voice was tight, clipped.

Rick looked up. “Don't give me that...”

“I said, we don't know. None of us knew about it until we brought him home. And he's not exactly been awake enough to tell us.” He could see the anger in the CSI's face. “You done invading H's privacy now?”

There wasn't much he could say to that. He set Horatio's hand gently on the bed. “Yeah. I'm done.”

“Then you should leave.” Eric's voice was cold.

“Yeah.” He sighed. “Look I know you don't like it, or me, but my job is investigation. You have to admit this whole thing is weird. It's my responsibility to check things out. That's just the way it is. I'm sorry.”

“Sure you are.” Ryan's voice held just the faintest edge of contempt. “So leave.”

“Sure.” Rick took one last look at the sleeping figure, then let himself out. He had a lot to think about.

*****TiS*****

Inside the house, Eric and Ryan looked at each other, then Eric pulled out his cell phone and stepped into the hall. He hit a number on speed dial. Moments later there was a click. “Calliegh Dusquene speaking.”

“Yeah, Calliegh, it's Eric. Look, we may have a problem. Stetler showed up here.”

“You didn't let him in, I hope.” Calliegh's voice sounded worried.

“Not on purpose. But Horatio had another episode, and I had to help Ryan. While we were busy, Stetler let himself in.”

“So he knows.”

“Yeah, I'm afraid so. He saw pretty much everything.” Eric sighed. “How do you want to play this?”

“Well, we can't afford to confront him at work. Too many people. I guess he is technically guilty of home invasion, if none of you actually let him in. Unfortunately, I think we're going to have to wait for him to make the next move. On the other hand, if he goes to the press, or anyone else, then I'm going to shoot him.” Calliegh's voice was hard.

“You and me both.” Eric sighed. “I gotta get back to H. I'll call Alexx. Can you give the rest of the team a heads up?”

“Yeah, no problem. You go take care of Horatio. See you at work tomorrow?”

Eric relaxed. “Yeah. See you at work.” There was a click as the line went dead. He sighed, then put his phone back in his pocket and returned to the bedroom.


	8. Confirmation of the Worst

Eric arrived at the labs next morning with a feeling of trepidation. He'd spoken to a few people downstairs, making small talk. So far, he hadn't seen any signs that Stetler had been talking. And he'd checked, so he knew the IAB agent had come in. But there was no sign of him hanging about the labs, no gossip running the halls. He paused in the locker rooms, debating, then sighed and went to work.

The morning passed relatively smoothly. He helped Calliegh with her cases, prepped some paperwork for a court appearance he had coming up. Took care of some backlogged reports for the department. It wasn't difficult work, but it was distracting. By the time he decided to break for lunch, he was feeling fairly relaxed, happy with how the day was going.

He'd just emerged from the washroom, intent on heating the leftovers he'd brought in, when he spotted a familiar figure in the hallway. He started to turn away, but Rick's voice stopped him. “Delko.”

He wanted to ignore the man, but he turned as Rick came over to him. “Stetler.”

Rick nodded acknowledgment, his eyes dark and serious. “I need to talk to you a moment.”

He'd have preferred to refuse, but he knew better. Besides, as unlikely as it was, it could just be a routine matter. “Okay. Where did you have in mind?”

“Empty room. Whichever one you like.” Rick shrugged, hands fidgeting with the thick envelope he carried.

“Okay.” Eric thought a moment, then led him to the break room. There wasn't anyone else in there at the moment. “So talk.”

“It's about last night.” Eric tensed, and Rick shook his head. “Look, I'm not gonna say anything. I know you probably don't believe me, but stuff like that...it ain't my department. The shrink's maybe, but you know I can't say anything without violating the rules. And, believe it or not, there are lines even I don't cross. And this is one of them. Especially if what I suspect is true.”

Eric felt his back tense up. “What do you mean, what you suspect?”

Rick sighed, looking suddenly tired and worn. “A few years ago...you remember Horatio went to New York on that case, and wound up getting delayed? Held over several days for personal business?”

He did remember it. Horatio had come back silent and withdrawn, with shadows in his eyes that had taken weeks to dissipate. He'd never figured out what had upset him, not by asking as friend, as a subordinate, or even as a brother-in-law. The best answer he'd gotten was 'old ghosts'. “What about it?”

“The reason he was held up was because he was served a court order. New York called him in on an old case. Being IAB, I got news of it. It was weird, because they weren't calling him as a professional witness. They were calling him as a defendant. So I looked into it.” Rick's hands twitched, clenching tighter on the envelope.

“Okay. So?” Eric could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing up. He didn't like how the conversation was going, or how agitated Rick looked.

“The case was a homicide.” Eric felt his breathing stop. “Two victims. I got curious, and managed to get the New York IAB to send me a copy of the files, as a professional courtesy. Wasn't a big file, pretty straight up. But what was in there...” Rick broke off, shook his head, then shoved the file at him. “This is what I got from New York. What happened last night...I think this might explain a hell of a lot of it.”

Eric took the file, glad his hands weren't shaking. His stomach felt like it was doing back-flips. “H isn't guilty.”

“That's not the point.” Rick shook his head again. “I'm not trying to prosecute him. Or persecute him, for that matter.” He sighed. “Look. Just read the damn file, okay? You might be able to help him.” He met Eric's eyes for a long moment, then turned around and left the room without another word.

Eric stood, staring at the folder in his hand. He didn't trust Stetler, not as far as he could throw him. But still...he hadn't been acting like himself, far too agitated. Almost embarrassed. And, no matter how much he hated Rick Stetler, if there was even the slightest chance the man had been honest, and he could help Horatio...he sighed, then went to grab a cup of coffee, his lunch, and a chair in the corner of the room.

He took a moment to settle himself, then looked at the envelope. It was sealed, a privacy seal signed by Stetler himself, as per regulations. He knew then that the man had at least been serious about the nature of the documents. There wasn't any reason to seal transferred records unless the information was _very_ sensitive. He took a deep breath, then slit open the seal.

The first thing he retrieved was a smaller envelope. Case file photos. The second was a folder stuffed full of notes and reports, so old the paper was yellowing and fragile feeling. He set the packet of photos to the side, and began to read through the papers.

The first set was the initial incident report. Officers had responded to a 911 called in by a young man who'd given his name as 'Ray' and stated only that 'something had happened to his brother and his parents'. The shakiness of the voice over the phone had convinced NYPD to investigate.

They'd gone to the address given and found one young man, who had identified himself as Ray, on the front steps. He'd been badly shaken, on the verge of shock, and had only told them that his brother was still inside.

Eric flipped the page, and felt the breath go out of him.

Inside, officers had found signs of hurry, a dropped backpack and scuff marks. They'd followed them to a back room and found three people. Two deceased adults, both blood-splattered, and an older, red-haired boy standing over the bodies, also blood-splattered and apparently too shell-shocked to speak. That had been when the officers had called the investigators out. Eric read the names listed in the ID section and felt himself go cold, even in the warmth of the light pouring in the windows.

The boy on the steps had been Raymond Caine, age 14. The boy inside had been Horatio Caine, age 17, four months shy of 18. The bodies...had been their parents. Mother and Father.

Eric swallowed hard, feeling slightly nauseous. “What the hell?” He'd guessed it was bad when Rick had handed him the file, but this...he'd never known Horatio's parents had been killed when he was a teen. He'd known they'd died, but he'd always thought it was an accident. Not murder. And from the sound of even just the preliminary report, it had been violent.

He took a moment to steady his nerves, then went to the medical reports and autopsy reports.

The medical report for Raymond had turned up faded bruises, a few half-healed cuts and such, which he'd declined to explain, and the almost vanished remains of a split lip and bruised jaw. X-rays had revealed a couple of old breaks in each arm, and a shoulder that might have been dislocated at some point.

The medical report for Horatio...Eric read it, and felt his stomach trying to rebel.

The report listed multiple bruises and contusions of varying ages, some nearly a month old and still healing, some that had obviously just occurred, and had been made with a force that was already turning them black. An equal number of lacerations, and several scars in various stages of healing, some of them years old. His nose had been bloodied badly, his lip split and his left jaw severely bruised. Both arms had multiple bruises, apparently defensive wounds. His abdomen was the same. X-rays on him had turned up multiple old fractures in both arms, his ankle, his wrists. His jaw had shadows that indicated a hairline fracture, and a possible dislocation, an old injury. Same for both shoulders. There were signs he'd cracked at least one, if not multiple, ribs at some point. There was no hospital report anywhere in the area for him. Either he'd been treated under an alias, or he'd never been treated.

Eric swallowed hard. He took a drink of coffee to calm his stomach and moisten his mouth, but he was acutely aware that he didn't want anything to eat. Not anymore. He was also glad he'd not eaten lunch. He had a stomach as tough as any CSI's, but this...bad enough that it was a kid, but someone he knew and respected...it felt jarringly wrong. He flipped quickly to the autopsy section.

The father had bruised hands, a few other bruises, in face and abdomen. One bloody nose and split lip. He'd died of a blow to the throat, undetermined accidental or deliberate. Definitely a fight though. He also had signs of being a chronic drinker.

The mother...Eric felt himself starting to get sick again. She'd been beaten, violently, with enough force to break several bones, including four ribs, one of which had punctured a lung. She'd also suffered severe head trauma, and had numerous defensive wounds. Even worse was the list of previously acquired injuries. Like Horatio, broken bones, severe bruising. Old scars. Older head trauma, at least once. The damage was so severe that, ribs aside, she still might not have survived. There was evidence of multiple points of internal bleeding. Several of the contusions had been made with enough force to split the skin, so hard they'd left actual outlines of the hands and fists and, in two cases, the boot that had made them.

Eric set the paper down, his hands shaking. Suddenly, he had a distinct urge to clock out and head down to his favorite bar and have a drink. Have several drinks.

It was _just_ possible that the Caines had been victims of gang violence, or something of the sort. Rogue druggies. Psychos killing time. Gang initiation. New York could be a rough city, if you were in the wrong part of it at the wrong time, with the wrong connections. But...he'd seen this pattern too often before. Too often to believe that. But he wanted to be wrong, with an intensity that rivaled the moment he'd almost called his sister's doctor a liar, after the verdict of 'cancer' had come down. He sat a moment, then looked at the next page.

Testing, both at the time and in a later case (the one H had been held in New York for) had verified that both victims and Horatio had been splattered in blood from all three donors. Horatio had been splattered more with his mother's and his own, with both his parent's blood on his hands. The mother's effects had been mostly her own, with some of her son's, the father's mixed in as if he'd touched her after his father. The father had been a fairly even mix of all three.

He wasn't surprised, though it turned his stomach, to know that Horatio had been the prime suspect of his parent's demise. It was a natural suspicion, and there was a note on how the boy had been practically non-responsive at first.

The next several pages were investigation reports on interviews (and interrogations) that had been done.

Most of the neighbors hadn't been home. The one or two who had been had reported hearing some yelling and shouting, and some sounds of violence. However, it wasn't the first time there had been a disturbance at the Caine household, and they hadn't taken particular notice until Raymond had come outside and the police had arrived. Further questions revealed that disturbances were frequent, almost always the father, and usually the eldest son or the mother. They'd been made to understand that it was just 'stresses growing up' and 'clashes of strong personality'. Just...family issues. Yes, the older boy had frequently sported bruises, and had gotten several other injuries, but he was known to be hot-tempered, and it had been assumed they were the results of school brawls, or being foolish enough to attack his father in a fit of temper. Certainly, the one or two times they'd asked, that's what they'd been told it was. Just a little mix-up in the school yard, or with a local gang.

Raymond's testimony had been simple. He'd come home late, having stayed to talk to some buddies about a school project and to hang out. He'd come home to find his dad's car in the driveway, his brother's backpack in the hall. He'd found it odd because Horatio never left anything of his outside his rooms. The house had been too quiet. He'd gone looking for his family and found them just as the police had. He'd tried to talk to Horatio, to ask him what had happened, but all Horatio had told him was that he needed to call the police.

Further questioning had gotten him to admit that his father 'liked his booze. A lot.' and that he was 'a tough man. Hard to deal with.' Especially with his eldest son. He also admitted that his father and Horatio had clashed several times. And, ominously 'Horatio doesn't know how to shut up and back down when it's good for him. He's always so stubborn. If he'd just let the old man have his way, he wouldn't get it so bad.' On questions of whether or not his father had ever gotten violent, or abusive, he'd just said 'He got a little rough, maybe. Once or twice, when he was pissed. But he was never real bad to me.'

Horatio's testimony...it had taken four tries to get him to speak. Several different officers had made the attempt. The hard-nosed approach didn't work. Neither did good cop-bad cop. Finally, they'd gotten lucky, or else Horatio's shell had just cracked. But then...it had been less an interrogation than a confession.

Horatio had testified that he'd come home to his father's car in the driveway, unusual because he worked. He'd heard a disturbance and run into the house, dropping his backpack at the door. He'd heard his mother cry out.

He'd found his father in the back room, assaulting his mother. She'd already been badly battered, crumpled on the floor, and he'd seen his father kick her, heard something crack. He'd panicked, gotten angry, then tried to get between them. Tried to pull his father away. But his father had turned on him. Hit him in the face. They'd fought. He didn't remember everything, just fighting, desperation when his father hit him in the chest, when he realized the old man was out of control. He'd thought he was going to be killed. His mother had tried to stop it, from the floor. His father had struck her again. There'd been another snap of bone breaking. He'd gone crazy. Angry. Scared. He'd pulled his father away, hit him hard, once or twice, been hit in return. He remembered hitting him, a face-shot he'd thought, and his father had dropped. He hadn't noticed, really, except it meant he had a break, and he could see to his mother.

He'd tried, but there was too much blood, and she wasn't breathing right. Was breathing red foam. He'd tried to help her, tried to save her, to stop the bleeding, but she'd died. He'd turned on his father, angry and ready to beat him to a pulp or die trying. And then he'd realized.

Both his parents had been dead. He didn't even know what had happened to his father. But the man was as still as his mother, not breathing, eyes sightless with a last look of spite, mingled with shock, stamped on his face.

He'd just stood there staring, until Ray had come home. He'd sent his brother to call the police. He'd had no idea what to do next. So he did nothing, until the police arrived.

Questions about his father revealed he was, as Raymond had said, 'a hard man'. When asked if his father had lost control and gotten violent often, his only response had been 'that depends on what you consider often'. When asked if his father had ever struck him, the answer had been 'whenever he was in a bad enough mood'. In response to questions about the multitude of scars and wounds he carried he'd stated that his father wasn't responsible for 'all of them'. Under pressure, though, he'd let slip enough to reveal that most of them were his father's handiwork.

Investigation and comparison had proved that the marks on Mrs. Caine were too big to match to either Horatio's hands or his shoes, but did match the father's. Other queries had turned up confirmation that the elder Caine had indeed been a steady drinker, and known to be of ill temperament.

Horatio had been charged with homicide and tried as an adult, as he'd been seventeen when the crime was committed, and turned eighteen before the trial. He hadn't pleaded innocent, though his court appointed lawyer had argued for extenuating circumstances. With the evidence they had presented, the court had ruled extreme provocation and self-defense. He had been officially exonerated in court and released.

Eric released the last of the papers and sat back, swallowing against the leaden feeling in his gut. He'd imagined a lot of ugly scenarios in Horatio's past. But this...this was worse than anything he'd ever even dreamed of. He was reminded of the kid whose biological father had beaten his mother to death with an empty gun. He'd thought at the time that Horatio had just been...being Horatio, with the kid. Watching over him. He knew they'd had a long talk, just after the case was closed. He'd had no idea how much Horatio had identified with the boy. No wonder he'd been so determined, so angry. Frank had mentioned that he thought Horatio had come close to punching the guy out. Now the knew why. And why Horatio had been withdrawn and quiet for days afterward.

The packet of photos caught his eye. He really didn't want to see them, but...he pulled it close, undid the seal, and took them out.

The first few were crime scene photos. Standard stuff. They were ugly, but nothing that he hadn't expected from the reports. He was appalled by the damage done to Horatio's mother, but he'd expected to see it after the autopsy report. The most obvious thing he noticed was that Horatio had inherited her red hair.

The next set....he had to fight to keep the remains of breakfast down. They were all the processing and medical documentation photos of Horatio.

The first set was bad enough, a teenage boy with red hair and lifeless blue eyes, staring blankly at the camera while they documented the numerous bloodstains on his clothing and person. Then he got to the medical ones.

The bruises were appalling enough, black irregular stains across arms, shoulders, chest and back. Worse were the myriad other bruises, in various stages of fading. And the lacerations. He recognized some of them as scars he'd seen a few days ago, new cut instead of years old. And his back...some of the scars there were still raw and angry in these photos. It looked as if he'd been whipped. Multiple times. Bad enough to see the evidence, years later, on a grown man. Seeing those wounds on the boy he'd been...was stomach turning.

Eric set the photos down. No wonder Frank had been so shaken. He shoved the pictures back into their folder, the file back into it's envelope, and swallowed hard. “Geez...H...what the hell....”

He didn't have to wonder why the older man had kept it a secret. Abuse was bad enough, but this...added the murder charge, even if it had been dropped, this was beyond bad and into the realm of horrifying. In Horatio's place, he'd never speak of it either.

“Eric?” Calliegh's voice startled him out of his daze. The blond CSI was standing in the doorway, looking concerned. “I saw you in here and thought I'd ask if you wanted to eat lunch with me.” She stepped inside. “What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost. Did Frank or Alexx call you?”

“No.” Eric shook his head. He waved at the file. “Stetler gave me that.”

Calliegh moved to stand by the table. “An old case from New York? What's so bad about that? Does it concern Horatio?” She frowned and picked up the folder.

“Yeah.” Eric heaved a sigh. “Calliegh...it's bad.”

“As bad as we suspected?” She looked worried.

“Worse than we ever thought was possible. At least, worse than I thought was possible.” Eric folded his hands, put his head into them.

“Oh. How bad?” Calliegh moved to sit next to him.

He swallowed, considered how much to tell her. He didn't want to violate H's privacy but...he didn't know what to do. How to react. “Remember the Danny Sommer's case?”

“The one with the little boy whose dad beat his mom to death in a car? Yeah, I remember. That bad?”

“Worse. A lot worse.” He swallowed against the lump in is throat, but it didn't help.

“Oh my God. You're joking.” Calliegh sounded horrified, and he didn't blame her.

“I'm not.” He gestured. “You might as well read that.” He shook his head. “I thought it might be a hoax, since it's Stetler, but the signatures, the procedures...it's legit. Right up to the court summary.”

He heard the rustle as Calliegh pulled the papers out, and got to his feet to stand by the door. They didn't need someone coming in, like she'd walked in on him. He stopped to put his lunch back in the fridge; his stomach was churning far too much to want to eat.

“Oh my God.” He heard the papers rustling as she turned pages. “Oh my God. Eric...I can't believe this.”

He turned. There was a stricken expression on her face. “I know. I don't want to either. But the paperwork's all there. Granted, we don't have the actual evidence, but they don't exonerate homicide cases lightly, you know that.”

A single tear crept down her face. “Oh my God. This is...this is terrible. I had no idea...” She looked at him. “He never once mentioned this? Any of this?”

“Not to me. He might have told Marisol something, but if he did, she never told me.” He shook his head, then met her eyes. “I think we know now why H has nightmares.”

“Yeah, and what he's talking about. This must have been absolutely terrible to live through. And losing his mom like that, especially trying to protect her, it must have been devastating.” Calliegh pressed a hand to her mouth for a moment. “Trying to live with something like this...no wonder he refuses to see a psychiatrist. It's amazing he's even functioning at all, with something like this in his past.”

“No kidding.” Eric sighed, and forced himself to focus. “We need to decide what to do about this. How much we're gonna tell the team.”

Calliegh nodded. “You're right.” She sighed. “Honestly, I have no idea. You've known Horatio longer than I have.” She frowned at the papers, then shook her head. “I hate to say it, but I think it's your call. Of the two of us, you're his brother-in-law. You're probably the closest thing he has to next of kin, unless it's Yelina. So...what do you want to do?” She looked up at him.

Eric set his jaw, then moved to stare out the window. He didn't want to tell the team everything. It was just too terrible. Besides, Horatio's secrets were Horatio's. He'd only told Calliegh because he'd needed a second perspective, and he knew she cared for Horatio, and would take the secret to her grave. On the other hand, the rest of them had been tending Horatio faithfully, sitting with him through his nightmares. And they did deserve to know what they were dealing with, at least in part.

He ran a hand through his hair, then sighed. “Let's call and tell them to meet us at H's house tonight. By then, I should be able to think of something to tell them.” He reached over and gathered the papers together. “No one else is going to see this.” He stuffed them back in the envelope. “I'll give it to H and let him decide what to do with it, when he's recovered.”

“Okay.” Calliegh nodded. “I'll call the team then. Ryan should be in soon.” She glanced at the clock. “You get off in a few. Do you think nine would be too late?”

“I'm sure it's fine.” Eric tied the envelope closed, then glanced at the clock himself. “I'd better get back to work. I'll see you later.”

“Right. See you later.”

*****TiS*****

The group that gathered at Horatio's house that evening was a quiet one. Ryan had just gotten off shift, the rest of them had been out a few hours.

Yelina had come, volunteering to watch over Horatio while the rest of them talked. She gave Calliegh and Eric a quick greeting, then went on to the bedroom. Alexx joined the small group in the living room a few moments later.

Frank was the first to break the awkward silence. “What's all this about, Delko?”

Eric sighed. He really didn't want to have this discussion. He rubbed the back of his head a moment, then spoke quietly. “You all know Stetler came by here last night.”

“Yeah.” Frank scowled. “Heard he saw one of Horatio's bad moments.”

“Yeah. He confronted me at work today.” Eric swallowed, trying to think how he could possibly break the information he now had.

“Is he trying to threaten Horatio? Or spread rumors?” Natalia's eyes were fierce.

“No. Nothing like that. He told me he wouldn't. Said there are lines even he doesn't cross. And for once, I believe him.” Eric sighed. “Actually...apparently the New York IAB got in touch with him a while back, about an old case Horatio was involved in when he was younger. He gave me the files from New York.” He felt his jaw clench slightly, then met Natalia's brown-eyed gaze. “There's some personal history in there on Horatio. Unfortunately...Natalia was right.”

“Oh...oh God...you mean...he really is...” Under the usual tan of her complexion, Natalia paled. The rest of the group reacted similarly.

“He's a victim. Police found out when his parents died. H was old enough that no action was taken.” Eric swallowed. No action had been taken. Of course not...he'd been a murder suspect. By the time they'd exonerated him in court, it would have been too late to do anything. But he'd already decided he wasn't telling the team about that, unless he absolutely had to.

“You say 'when his parents died' like that's a really bad thing, Delko. Why do I get the feeling you don't mean something nice and simple, like a car accident?” Frank looked more serious than he'd ever seen the detective.

“Probably because it wasn't a car accident.” Eric shook his head. “The details are a little confused in the report, so I can't say exactly what happened. Just...it wasn't good.” Frank looked unsatisfied by the answer, but he nodded, and Eric heaved a sigh of relief.

“Did they find out who hurt that boy?” Alexx's voice was concerned, but there was also an edge to it. She was angry.

“Reports indicate the police thought it was his father.” Eric grimaced. He had a feeling Horatio wasn't going to like that information escaping. But there was no help for it.

Ryan's eyes were blazing. “His own father did that to him? Geez. No wonder his nightmares are so bad.”

“No kidding.” Frank sighed. “Well, at least we know what we're watching out for. We've guessed at most of the triggers already. Any we don't know?”

“One of their neighbors told police his father was a heavy drinker.”

Frank grimaced. “Well, that explains the alcohol issues. Not that it helps much, none of us were planning on getting drunk while we were here anyway.” He frowned. “Anything else?”

“Not much. I just thought it might help if we were all on the same page.” Eric sighed. “There really isn't much we can do to help him.”

“We'll just have to do the best we can, and hope this all blows over soon.” Alexx's eyes were determined. She rose, then stepped forward to put a hand on Eric's cheek. “You did the right thing, bringing this to us. We might not be able to do much now, but at least we'll be able to be there for him when he wakes up properly. And I know that none of us...” Her dark gaze swept the room. “...are going to be talking about this outside of this house. You don't have to worry. Horatio's secrets are safe with us.”

Eric nodded and managed a half smile. “I know. It's just...I feel like I'm invading H's privacy, or violating confidentiality, telling you guys this. I just don't know how he's going to react when he wakes up.”

“We'll handle that when it happens.” Frank rose from his seat as well. “I get where you're comin' from, but we already knew something was wrong. And I'd rather know what I'm facing than take a knife to a gun fight, if you know what I mean.”

Eric nodded. “I know.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair once more. “I just wanted to update you guys. Now that you know...I guess all we can do is wait.”

“Wait and pray.” Alexx whispered the words, and the rest of them nodded in agreement. All they could do was wait for Horatio to come out of it on his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this after watching season 6 or 7. I know some of the details are AU from later seasons, but I hope no one minds too much. Just sayin.


	9. The Turning Point

The next two days were even more strained. All of them were feeling the stress of juggling responsibilities for work and Horatio's care. Alexx was still taking leave but she had a family to care for, so the strain was equally great for her. Calliegh had called to verify that her job wasn't in jeopardy, but that didn't help much.

Horatio remained ill. Dr. Reynolds visited again. He added another antibiotic and switched in a stronger anti-pyretic. His examination revealed that Horatio's concussion was mending well, but his fever remained above 101, pushed higher by his frequent nightmares.

As his concussion healed, Horatio's nightmares increased in frequency and intensity. All of them faced hearing at least two nightmares per shift. It hurt, seeing their proud, strong leader, their friend, reduced to such torment. His cries as he wandered in and out of delirium, the way he flinched and thrashed in his dreams, often reduced Calliegh, Alexx and Natalia to silent tears. None of the men were in much better condition. Frank's eyes held shadows that had nothing to do with a lack of sleep or job stress. A mere whimper from the unconscious man would make Ryan pale, and Eric's jaw ached from clenching it. It was terrible, witnessing Horatio's suffering, and yet none of them could bring themselves to abandon him.

Three days after the revelation of Horatio's past, Eric joined Natalia for a night shift. He relieved Ryan and saw him to the door, then returned to settle into a chair. He sighed, scrubbing one hand over his face. He was tired. They'd caught a homicide case, but it was going nowhere fast. Things just weren't adding up. It was one of those twisty weird cases that H was good with, and he dearly wished the man would wake up and help him with it. Or even just wake up.

He pushed the thought away as Natalia entered the room with a cup of water and a small bowl of soup. It was her day off, with a late start the following day, so she'd taken a double shift watching Horatio. She gave him a wan smile. “How's everything in the lab?”

Eric grimaced. “Got a tough case. I know there's an answer, but I'm not seeing it. The evidence isn't coming together. It's one of those cases H is really good with.” He tilted his head at the man lying between them. “How's he doing?”

“Okay. He's only had one nightmare today. I managed to calm him pretty quickly, so it wasn't too bad. I was actually just about to check his temperature.” She picked up the thermometer. “Give me a hand?”

“Sure.” He rose and lifted Horatio into a reclining position. Horatio's mouth was already open slightly. He gently forced it open a little wider, then held his chin as Natalia slipped the thermometer under his tongue.

They waited until it beeped, then Natalia pulled it free while he laid Horatio back down. He turned to find Natalia staring at the thermometer with an eyebrow raised. “100.8. That's the first time it's gone below 101 in days.”

Eric blinked. “That's gotta be a good sign.” He stared at Horatio's still form, startled by a sudden thought. “He didn't fight us this time either.” Horatio almost always struggled some, or indicated his discomfort. He'd struggled against the monitoring devices until they'd all agreed to leave them off, except for the IV.

Natalia sighed. “That's good. At least, I hope it is.” She settled back into her chair, looking as tired as he felt. Her eyes were on her superior. She sighed again. “I hate seeing him like this.”

Eric grimaced. “We all do.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Trust me, if I could take his place, make him better somehow, I'd do it in a heartbeat.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Natalia reached out and brushed the oily, sweat-dampened red hair back from Horatio's face. Then she lifted a cloth out of a bowl on the bedside table, wrung it out, and gently laid it over Horatio's forehead. Horatio stirred, but he didn't wake and relapsed into stillness almost immediately. Natalia watched him, concern in her dark eyes. “But...his temperature might actually be going down this time....”

“Yeah. Hopefully, he's finally getting better.” Eric studied his brother-in-law's pale face. Just over two weeks of illness had left Horatio gaunt and almost ghostly in appearance. Eric took one thin hand in his own, gripping it gently in a gesture of support. “I really hope so.” He held Horatio's hand a moment longer, then set it down. “You had dinner yet?” Natalia shook her head, and he smiled. “You okay with ordering Chinese?”

*****TiS*****

Two hours later, they had ordered in. Eric was finishing the last of his rice and Mongolian Beef when Horatio stirred again, a soft moan escaping his chapped lips.

Eric set his carton to the side immediately, then took Horatio's hand gently as the man shifted again. “It's okay H. It's okay.”

He half-expected Horatio to jerk away, or cry out. He was tensed, waiting for the cries that meant Horatio had mistaken him for one of the tormenters that haunted his nightmares. All too often, Horatio fought him. That, or shoved him away, begging him to run. Still, even knowing it was likely to agitate him, he couldn't help trying. “You're safe H. Everything's okay. We're here for you.”

Horatio stilled, his hand clenching tighter on Eric's, as if he grasped a lifeline. His grip was far weaker than it should have been. Eric brought his other hand up to grasp the red-haired man's. Horatio exhaled a weak, shaky breath, then relaxed. It wasn't the sudden collapse that usually marked the relapse to unconsciousness after long minutes of nightmare torment. Instead, it was more like the quiet relaxation of a child, reassured of safety.

Eric waited a moment, then sat down slowly, keeping Horatio's hand cradled in his own. He met Natalia's widened eyes across the bed. “Well, that was different.”

“Yeah. No kidding.” Natalia exhaled slowly and relaxed back into her chair, leaning forward so her elbows were resting on her knees, her hands on the edge of the mattress. “Do you think he recognized your voice, or was it just that he was safe?”

“No idea really.” Eric sighed. “It's impossible to say. Still...it's a good sign, right?”

“Probably. I mean, at least he didn't have another nightmare. I'd say, until we know for certain, keep holding his hand.” Natalia huffed quietly.

Eric nodded. “I intend to.”

“Okay.” Natalia rose and gathered up her trash and his. “I'm gonna take this to the kitchen. Can I bring you anything?”

“Water'd be good. And some for H. If he's coming out of it, he might wake up enough for that.”

“Ice chips would be better.”

“Sure.” Eric nodded, then turned his attention back to the man on the bed, listening to the soft, slightly ragged breathing for any signs of distress or pain.

Natalia came back a few minutes later, a bowl full of ice chips insulated inside another bowl, and two cups of water balanced precariously on a pan that was serving as a tray. Eric took one and took a drink, then went back to holding Horatio's hand.

The minutes ticked past. The silence was almost oppressive, but neither of them felt like speaking. Both of them were too occupied with waiting, watching. Looking for a sign, either that Horatio was declining once more, or finally coming out of his unconsciousness.

Finally, Natalia stirred. “We should probably take his temperature again.”

“Yeah.” Eric shifted, to cradle the unconscious man's head in his arms and tug his mouth gently open. Horatio tensed slightly, but didn't struggle as Natalia slipped the thermometer into his mouth. One hand moved restlessly, and his head jerked a little, but he was otherwise still.

Both of them waited, on edge. Eric was counting the seconds. He exhaled explosively as the thermometer beeped.

Natalia pulled it free. “100.2”

“Down again. That's good.” Eric smiled, then shifted so he could lower Horatio's head back to the pillows.

Horatio stirred at the movement, a soft groan coming from his lips. Eric froze, one foot off the bed, his arm still under his brother-in-law's shoulders.

Horatio stirred again, a quick, restless movement, then groaned again. Eric held his breath, his stomach clenching as he waited for murmured cries of pain, delirious weeping, for Horatio to start fighting him.

Horatio shifted again, then inhaled abruptly, as if gasping for air. Then the blue eyes cracked open, hazy with exhaustion but more lucid than they'd been since he'd first fallen ill.

Eric tightened his grip, just a little, trying to convey comfort. “H? Can you hear me?”

Another ragged inhalation, then a single hoarse whisper. “Eric.”

Eric felt like his heart might explode as apprehension gave way to relief and hope. “Yeah, H. It's me. Me and Natalia.”

Natalia moved to take Horatio's other hand. “I'm right here, Horatio.”

Horatio blinked hazily, his head turning slightly. “Natalia...” The word was a broken, cracked whisper, and pain crossed the man's face.

“Here.” Eric took a small ice chip out of the bowl and placed it gently to Horatio's lips. “Here. This'll help.”

Horatio swallowed as the melting ice dripped down his throat, then again, his body reacting to much needed moisture. Natalia rose and poured some of her water into another glass, then handed it to Eric. Eric waited a moment, then put the cup to Horatio's mouth. “Here. Small sips. Don't worry, there's plenty.”

Horatio took several small swallows, then relaxed against him, clearly exhausted. Blue eyes shut, then blinked again, still fogged and unfocused with sleep. “Eric...”

“It's okay. Go ahead and sleep. We'll be with you.” Eric hesitated a moment, then pulled Horatio closer to him, embracing the slightly trembling body. “We're all here for you H. You just rest.”

Horatio stared a moment, then relaxed the rest of the way, eyes closing as he gave the smallest of nods. Seconds later, his breathing evened out, falling back into the slow cadence of sleep.

Eric waited a moment longer, to see if he'd wake again, then carefully lowered Horatio back to the pillows. He hesitated a moment, then brushed the sweaty hair away from Horatio's face. Then he looked up at Natalia. “I think we should call the others.”

Natalia nodded. “I'll take care of it.” She glanced down at the sleeping man once more, then grabbed her phone and ducked out of the room, already dialing the first number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter, but a vital one.


	10. Awareness

An hour later, the team gathered in Horatio's living room. Natalia had also called Yelina, and Dr. Reynolds. Yelina joined the rest of them in the living room, while Reynolds went to take a look at his patient.

Ryan was the last to arrive, having just gotten off shift. Eric waited until the younger CSI got settled, then spoke. “There's been a change.”

“We kinda guessed that.” Frank shifted in his seat. “You gonna tell us whether it's good or bad?”

“Good, I think. Dr. Reynolds is verifying that right now.” Eric sighed. “Horatio's temperature has dropped to just above 100. It's still hovering there, but that's lower than it's been in a while. But the even better news is...” He hesitated, still oddly shaken.

“Horatio woke up.” Natalia picked up the thread. “It wasn't very long, and he was pretty out of it, but he recognized both of us, he responded to us when we spoke, and he responded to stimuli when we offered him water.”

“That's great.” Yelina's face was a picture of relief, and the others had similar expressions.

“I'd say more like absolutely fantastic.” Calliegh exhaled softly. “I was really starting to worry that he wasn't going to come out of this one.”

“Yeah. No kidding.” Frank shifted again. “So, what does this mean?”

“If Reynolds confirms, then it means a lot of things. For one, we can expect Horatio to be more responsive. That'll make it easier to keep him hydrated, and give him his medicine. Of course, as soon as he wakes up a little more, he may try to take the IV out.” Eric took another deep breath. “It also looks like his nightmares are decreasing. He's probably coming out of delirium, which means we don't have to watch him as closely. If he's really recovering, it might be possible to cut back to one person per shift.”

“That would definitely make things easier on all of us.” Ryan grinned. “I like H, and I'd do anything for him, but there's no question these have seriously been some of the toughest days of my life.”

“I think we all feel that way. Which brings me to my next point. I don't think we should mention all this stuff to him, at least not right away.” Eric shifted his weight. “I don't know about you guys, but I think it'd be bad for him, he finds out we've heard about his past.”

“No kidding. He's been trying so hard to keep it quiet, and now it just all comes out.” Calliegh's eyes were compassionate. “That would really be tough.”

Eric nodded. “If we need to, I'll tell him later, after he's recovered some more.”

“Sound's fair. You're family, after all.” Alexx sighed. “So...what do you want us to do, honey?”

Eric grinned at the affectionate name. “Easy. We keep an eye on him, as long as we need to, and we do whatever Reynolds tells us to do. If he asks, we tell him he got sick and hit his head when he passed out, and that we decided to take care of him here rather than at a hospital because it was safer. We don't mention the nightmares, just that he had a bad fever, took a while to get it down.”

“Fair enough.” Frank bit his lip. “So...once he's awake and all, what do we do?”

“Give him plenty of liquids, and try to keep his temperature down. In fact, if you can get it below 100, that would be excellent.” Reynolds stepped into the room. “I'd recommend broth or light soups for the first few days, until his system adjusts, then more solid foods. If he continues to improve, he'll be ready for regular meals in a week or so.” The doctor took a glass of water from Calliegh with a smile. “He's not completely out of the woods, but his lungs are clear, his fever has declined, and his heart rate is good. So far, it looks like he's making a recovery.”

“Does he need to keep the IV in?” Alexx's voice was calm.

“I'd say for another 24 hours at least, until he starts waking at regular intervals.” Reynolds considered. “After that, try to get some food and water into him at least every three hours. If he wakes up fully, that's excellent. If not, give him as much as he wants, then let him go back to sleep. Try not to agitate him too much.”

Ryan spoke up. “Is there anything else we need to know?”

Reynolds frowned. “He'll likely be very weak for several days. He'll need help while his system recovers, probably with almost everything.”

“You mean we're gonna need to help him with stuff like going to the bathroom, taking a shower, stuff like that.” Frank looked uncomfortable, and he wasn't the only one.

“Most likely. And at this point, I'd recommend baths, or just a scrub down with a washcloth. I doubt he'll be steady enough on his feet to stand through a shower.”

Alexx snorted. “Horatio's gonna love that.”

“I vote for learning to navigate Horatio's bathroom blindfolded. Otherwise, he's gonna kill us.” Ryan looked a little queasy.

“No." Eric shook his head. "What we do, is we let H call the shots on that. If he feels comfortable enough to ask whoever's with him to help, then it's probably okay. If not, then we leave it alone.”

Yelina spoke softly. “I do not think Ray Jr and I should do this. I will come by to visit, but I do not think we should be part of Horatio's caretakers.”

Calliegh blinked. “I would have thought you two would be the best choices, actually.”

“Maybe, except for a few things.” Yelina sighed. “For one, I do not think Horatio would want Ray Jr to see the scars. Ray is a good boy, but it's far too likely that he would ask questions that Horatio probably doesn't want to answer. For another...” She sighed again, raking a hand through her thick, curly hair. “After Raymond first disappeared, I thought for a while there might be something between us. So did Horatio. Then he realized that he still thought of me as Raymond's wife.” An ironic smile crossed her face. “That's probably even more true now. Having me there, seeing him like that...it would probably make him _very_ uncomfortable.” She shook her head. “If he indicates differently when I visit him, then it is fine. Until then, however, I think we should be visitors only.”

“Fair enough. The rest of us can keep an eye on him.” Frank slouched and stuck his hands in his pockets. “Any idea how long this recovery is going to take?”

Reynolds shook his head. “It tends to vary from patient to patient. I can say, the lieutenant is extraordinarily strong-willed. I suspect he'll have one of the shorter recovery times, unless there's something psychological going on that winds up working against us.”

“Well, we'll just have to make sure nothing works against us.” Ryan grinned.

Reynolds nodded. “I've left scripts for renewing his medicines as needed. I want him to stay in bed, unless he goes to the bathroom, until that fever breaks completely. And watch for any signs of side effects from the head injury. He should be fairly well mended, but there may be some lingering pain from it. I've prescribed a headache medicine just in case. Watch for any signs of further problems.”

“I know the signs, and the rest of these kids have a pretty good idea what to look for. We'll watch.” Alexx nodded resolutely.

“Then he should be okay. Assuming no one calls me with any serious changes in his condition, I'll check back in a week or so, see how he's doing.” Reynolds gave them all a brief nod of farewell, then turned and left.

Calliegh sighed. “So...one man teams, and keep an eye out for any signs of lingering head trauma. Other than that...we all have our marching orders, so I guess we'll get to it. All we have to do is inform the Chief and decide on a schedule.”

They spent a few minutes planning a new schedule, then dispersed. Eric sent Natalia home. She'd been there longer than he had, and she had an afternoon shift the following day. He figured he could handle the lack of sleep.

The last of the CSI team left. Alexx took one more look at Horatio, smoothing back his hair and murmuring gentle words into his ear, then left with the rest of them. Eric waited until he heard the front door click closed, then sighed and sank into the chair beside Horatio's bed.

It was oddly quiet in the house with just him. He scrubbed a hand across his face, then settled in, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his eyes fixed on the drawn face of the sleeping man before him. He smiled a little, hearing the soft rhythms of Horatio's breathing, a welcome change from the gasping of his nightmares. He considered a moment, then leaned forward to take Horatio's hand. “Hey, H, I don't know if you can hear me right now, but I wanted to tell you that I'm glad. I'm glad you're getting better. And I wanted you to know...we're all here for you. And...these next few days...you don't have to be embarrassed or anything. I know you probably will be, but you don't need to be. I swear it. We'll do our best to make this as easy as possible for you. So...just get better, and let us help you out, okay?”

Horatio made no response. Eric held his hand a moment longer, then let go and sat back to watch over him.

*****TiS*****

Calliegh took over from Eric the next morning. She arrived early, carrying several items that she set on the bedside table. “How is he?”

Eric grinned tiredly. “Slept like a kid the whole time. Barely even twitched. His fever hasn't gone down any further, but it also hasn't gone up. No nightmares or anything either.”

Calliegh smiled. “That's good news then.” She looked Horatio over, then turned back. “All right. I've got some soup for him, something that'll be good warm or cold, and some magazines and files for me. You've already supplied water, and Alexx already filled all his medicines for me, so I think I'm set.” She gave him another quick grin. “Which means you should go and get some rest before your next shift.”

“Sure.” He returned the smile. Then it slipped. “If he wakes up...you'll let me know, right?”

“If he wakes up, and I mean really wakes up, then I will most certainly tell you.” Calliegh patted him on the shoulder, then nudged him gently. “Go on. Go get some rest.”

Eric nodded, cast one more look at Horatio, then left. Calliegh waited for the click of the front door, then turned and settled into the chair Eric had vacated. She studied Horatio's face a moment, then reached out to stroke his face. “I guess it's just you and me.” Horatio never stirred. She watched him breathe a few moments longer, then picked up a magazine and began to read about the latest in gun care and design.

She'd been there for about an hour and a half when a sound jerked her attention from the magazine she was reading. On the bed, Horatio twitched, his head rolling from side to side in tiny movements.

Calliegh set the magazine aside, then leaned forward to lay gentle hands on his shoulder and wrist. “Horatio?”

Horatio's head tossed again, then turned toward her. His breathing changed a little, becoming slightly deeper. Calliegh waited. A moment later, Horatio's eyes cracked open, squinting in the dim light.

“Horatio? Are you awake?” She kept her voice low and even.

Blue eyes watched her for a moment. She saw his mouth move, and the brief spasm of pain on his face. She moved quickly, picking up the water Eric had left her. She slipped one arm under Horatio's shoulders and tilted his head up. “Here. Drink this before you try to talk.”

Horatio took a sip of the water, then another. One hand came up to grasp the glass, but he was trembling too much and the hand dropped back to his side.

Calliegh gave him small sips until he stopped, then set the glass aside. She started to lay him back down, but Horatio moved, trying to get an elbow braced against the mattress. “Do you want to sit up for a while?”

“Yes.” The word was a hoarse whisper, but it made her smile.

“All right. Just relax.” She used her free hand to prop up the pillows behind him, then helped him scoot himself upward to lean against them. “There. That better?”

Horatio nodded, his face contorting as his breathing changed, became more ragged. He gasped, then coughed, doubling over.

Calliegh caught him, her free hand snatching the inhaler off the table. She shook it, then put it in front of his mouth. “Here. This will help.” She set it to his lips, pressed the dispenser. “Deep breath.”

Horatio inhaled raggedly. It was hardly a deep breath, but it served the purpose well enough. She shot another dose. “Again.”

Horatio complied, then leaned back against the pillows, face damp with sweat and body trembling slightly from the force of the exertion. Calliegh helped him, then took a damp rag and wiped his face with it. “There.”

Horatio sat still for a few moments, blinking tiredly at the ceiling, then faced her. “Calliegh.”

“You got it handsome.” She smiled at him.

His eyes drifted, and a small frown crossed his features. “And this...this is...this is my house.”

“It is.” She considered, then settled back in her seat. “What's the last thing you remember?”

The frown deepened. “I was...in autopsy. Alexx asked me...to leave. That's all.”

She could see the consternation on his face, and took his hand gently. “That's not really surprising, given what happened.”

He met her eyes. “And what...did happen?”

“You had pneumonia. We think you picked it up from Mac's team while you were in New York. Once the incubation period was over, it hit you like a cement truck. Your temperature spiked, your respiration dropped, and you passed out.” She delivered the details as much like a report as she could, knowing he'd want the news delivered that way. “Unfortunately, you hit your head when you collapsed, and added the complication of a pretty severe concussion to the whole problem. Alexx and Eric finally realized no one had seen or heard from you for a couple of hours. They found you, realized how bad you were, and called the rest of us. We took you to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed you, treated you, and then we brought you here. We didn't want to risk any security lapses or threats to the hospital if word got out. Alexx has been taking care of you, and we found a doctor willing to make house calls to help out.”

Horatio nodded, his eyes unfocused in that way that meant that he was taking in the information. She let him process it. Finally he looked back at her. “How long...was I out?”

She took a deep breath, knowing he'd take this news badly. “You've been drifting in and out of consciousness for a little under three weeks.”

Horatio flinched. “That is...that's a long time.”

“It is. The doctor said the combination of concussion and illness extended your recovery time.” She squeezed his hand. “I already told the Chief what happened to you. You're on sick leave until you or I tell him otherwise. And, since at least part of it was on the job, he's given you partial pay for it.”

“I see.” The lines in his face relaxed somewhat. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” She squeezed his hand again, trying to convey her love and concern for him.

They sat in silence for a few moments. Then Horatio's eyes tracked to the IV and he frowned again.

Calliegh spoke softly. “We had to put it in to keep you hydrated. The doctor wanted to leave it in for another 24 hours, but we should be able to take it out later tonight if you really want.”

“I do.” he paused, then looked back at her. “We?”

“Everyone on the team. We've all been looking out for you. The Chief approved it, so we've been taking half-day shifts with you. The doctor said you shouldn't be left unattended.”

Horatio nodded, the frown line still furrowing his brow. He looked away, swallowed hard, then looked back at her. “Calliegh...who...changed my clothing?”

“Eric, Ryan and Frank took care of that.” She watched Horatio's shoulders relax slightly and was glad they'd taken Eric's advice.

“I see.” he paused a moment, then his fingers squeezed hers, and he met her gaze. “Thank you.” A ghost of a smile crossed his face.

“Like I said, it's no problem.” She returned the smile. “You hungry?”

“A little.” His smile was a little more hesitant.

“All right.” she rose and grabbed the soup she'd brought. “The doctor said you should stick to broth and soup for a couple days, so I made this. It's a special family recipe.” She grinned brightly at him.

His smile warmed. “I'm honored.”

She smirked. “You should be. I wouldn't give this to just anyone.” She spooned out a mouthful, then held it up for him. “Here. Try it.”

Horatio obediently opened his mouth and let her stick the spoon inside. He savored it a moment, then swallowed. “It’s excellent.”

“I thought so.” She spooned him up another one.

Horatio reached for the spoon, but his hand was still shaking too much. Calliegh watched him struggle, then set the spoon down and reached across to stop his hand. “It's okay. You don't have to push yourself. The doctor said you'd need help for a few days, until your strength returns.”

Horatio swallowed, his eyes suddenly painfully vulnerable. After a long moment, he nodded. “Okay.” his voice was rough with what she recognized as shame. It made her heart ache for him.

She spooned up another mouthful, then flashed him a smile. “Come on, don't you know there are places where guys would offer up tons of money to be served by a pretty girl? And I don't come cheap.”

That won her a smile and a slight relaxing of his shoulders. He let her spoon the soup into his mouth. “That's true.”

She fed him several more spoonfuls, until he shook his head, indicating he was full. Then she set the soup aside. “You okay? Can I get you anything?”

He shook his head again. “I'm...fine.”

She studied him, noting the exhaustion dulling his blue eyes. After a moment, she set a hand on his shoulder. “Why don't you try and get some more rest then? I'll wake you when the next person takes over.”

Horatio hesitated, then nodded and allowed her to ease him back down. He settled in as she pulled the sheet over him, and his eyes closed. Within seconds, he was asleep once more. Calliegh watched him for a moment with a smile on her face, then pulled out her phone and sent a text message to the team.

*****TiS*****

Horatio remained asleep for the rest of the day. Calliegh read her magazines, and a book she'd found in another room, listening to the soft, slightly raspy sound of his breathing. Horatio stirred a few times, but it was only a slight movement, normal for a sleeping man. Still, it didn't stop her from feeling relieved each time he subsided.

Finally, around six, she heard the quiet sound of the front door opening. Moments later, a soft call echoed down the hallway. “Calliegh?”

“In here.” She set aside her book then rose and touched Horatio lightly on the shoulder. “Hey handsome.”

Horatio stirred, then blinked at her, his eyes hazy with sleep but lucid. “Calliegh.”

She smiled. “Sorry to wake you, but I did promise I would when the others got here.”

Horatio turned his head to one side, blinking a few times as his eyes focused. “I...remember. When you say the others...”

“Alexx and Ryan are here. Alexx is going to check you over, see how you're doing, and Ryan will be here as your night nurse.” She smirked. “He's actually really good at it, so you'll be just fine, handsome.”

“Calliegh, I...” he swallowed. “I'd like to sit up.”

“That can be arranged sugar.” Alexx stepped into the room. She set a kit on the dresser, then stepped to the opposite side of the bed. “Actually, it's probably a good idea.” she gave Calliegh a quick smile. “Let's get him up.”

Calliegh nodded. Together, the two of them helped Horatio into a sitting position, then fluffed the pillows and helped him lean back. Horatio looked embarrassed, but he didn't fight.

Calliegh straightened to see Ryan hovering in the doorway. She smirked. “You don't have to just stand there, Ryan. Come on in.”

Ryan grinned uncertainly. “Didn't want to get in the way.” He stepped forward. “Hey H. How you doing?”

“As I understand it...much better, thank you.” Horatio tilted his head. “I understand...you're my babysitter for the evening.”

Ryan flushed. “I wouldn't call it babysitting...but yeah. I'll be here if you need anything.”

Horatio nodded, then glanced up at the ME. “Alexx...is this really necessary?”

Alexx snorted. “You'd better believe it, honey. The number of scares you've given us over the past few days, I'd say it's absolutely necessary, and you're lucky I don't do more.” She slipped on a pair of gloves, then glanced at Calliegh. “You checked his temperature yet?”

Calliegh shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Right.” Alexx pulled out a thermometer. “All right. Since you're awake, I'll give you your choice. I can stick this in your mouth, or under your arm.”

Horatio swallowed, then spoke quietly. “Mouth please.”

“Then open up honey.” Alexx tilted Horatio's head back, slipped the thermometer in, and closed his jaw. “Hold it there until it beeps, sugar. You can ask me any questions you want after that.”

Horatio nodded slightly, then tilted his head back. Ryan watched a moment, then spoke softly. “You know what, I'm gonna go get him some water. I'll be right back.” Calliegh nodded and Ryan ducked out the door.

The thermometer beeped. Alexx pulled it out. “100.4. Higher than I'd like, but not bad overall. Could certainly be worse.” She gave her patient a warm smile. “You gave us a hell of a scare, Horatio, but it looks like you're just about out of the woods.”

“Hmmm...so I heard. Calliegh mentioned that.” Horatio hesitated a moment, then spoke softly. “Alexx...do I still need the IV?”

“That depends.” Alexx glanced at Calliegh. “He eat anything?”

Calliegh nodded. “I gave him some soup I brought from home. He didn't eat much, but he what he did eat was about what I'd expect for someone who hasn't eaten in a while. He also drank some water, and he kept everything down just fine.”

Alexx nodded. “Okay. Tell you what. You go dish up another serving of that soup. Horatio...if you can eat what Calliegh gives you and keep it down for half an hour, then I'll take out the IV for you.”

Horatio nodded. “Okay Alexx.”

Calliegh joined Ryan in the kitchen. Horatio had enough dishes to fill four bowls of soup, and she'd brought plenty. She ladled up four bowls, filling Horatio's less than the others, then four cups of water. She improvised two trays, then she and Ryan carried the lot back to Horatio's bedroom.

They returned to find Alexx coaxing Horatio to take the last of his pills, and a dose of inhaler. Horatio looked unhappy, though he wasn't protesting. Calliegh handed Alexx a bowl, set two on the dresser for herself and Ryan, then took a cup from him and set the tray on Horatio's lap.

Horatio blinked, then looked up at her. “Thank you.”

Calliegh smiled. “No problem, handsome. You think you'll be okay with the spoon?”

Horatio nodded. “I think I can manage.” He hadn't moved much, but she could see that he was less shaky than he had been.

“All right.” She settled back into the seat she'd been occupying. Alexx took her bowl and settled at the end of the bed, letting Ryan take the chair on Horatio's other side.

Alexx blew on her soup a couple times, then spooned up a bite. She made an appreciative sound. “Calliegh honey, you're gonna have to give me this recipe. This tastes absolutely wonderful.”

Ryan sipped a bit, and one eyebrow rose. “No kidding. This is great. Where'd you learn to make it?”

Calliegh grinned. “Would you believe, my aunt used to make it for me? She's such a good cook. She taught me a lot of what I know about working in the kitchen.”

“Hmmm...” Horatio made a soft sound. “Not the same one...who bought you your first firearm?”

“No. that was my other aunt, actually. Mom's side.” Calliegh grinned. “It was kinda fun growing up. Mom's side encouraging me to be a tom-boy, Dad's side trying to teach me to be a proper southern lady. I guess I got stuck somewhere in the middle.”

Ryan smirked. “Lucky for us. We get a CSI who can shoot and cook like a pro.”

Calliegh laughed. “Why thank you for the compliment, Mr. Wolfe.”

Ryan laughed. “Honestly, I'm just hoping you'll make some more of this stuff for me, for lunch tomorrow.” He ate another spoonful. “Bachelor cooking tastes nothing like this. At least, mine doesn't.”

Calliegh blinked. “That reminds me.” She turned to Horatio. “Frank says you can actually cook. He says you do breakfast for him sometimes.”

A small smile curved Horatio's mouth. “Well I...I like to take care of my own meals, and I...sometimes, I do have company.”

“I'll bet. So...what's your best meal? What do you like to cook?”

“Well it's....whatever I'm in the mood for.” Horatio looked a little uncomfortable, but his shoulders had relaxed some. “I do make an excellent omelet, according to Frank.”

Calliegh smirked. “I love omelets. I'll have to get you to make me one sometime.”

Horatio cracked a small smile in return. “It would...be my pleasure.”

Alexx grinned, then tapped Ryan on the knee. “Hey, why don't you tell us what's been going on in the lab? It's been driving me half-crazy, wondering what you kids are up to. And I'll bet Calliegh and Horatio could use the report.” Horatio's eyes brightened with interest. Calliegh smothered a grin behind her soup as Ryan started going over the day's events.

They sat there for a while, eating and making small talk. Eric had apparently gotten a break on his case, which was a relief. He'd been getting frustrated with it. From there they segued into office gossip and shop talk, then general discussion. Calliegh kept an eye on Horatio's soup bowl. He ate far slower than the rest of them, but gradually, the soup and water disappeared. By the time the bowl was empty, he looked tired, but there was a little more color in his face.

Alexx was paying attention as well. She took Horatio's bowl when he'd finished. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, I've been better.” Horatio's smile was weak. “However...I don't feel sick.”

“All right. You'd probably know by now. So let's get this IV out.”

“Please.” Horatio swallowed hard.

“You got it.” Alexx rose and grabbed a set of gloves from her kit, along with some gauze, tape and antiseptic solution. She settled beside Horatio. “All right. You're gonna feel a bit of a tug and sting, but just try to stay relaxed, Horatio.”

Horatio ducked his head in a nod. “Of course. I'm ready.”

Alexx smirked. “I just bet you are.” She carefully removed the tape securing the line to Horatio's arm, then the pad taped over it. She grasped the needle. “All right. I'm pulling it...now.” She jerked the needle free of the vein in one smooth controlled movement, then clipped and coiled the line.

Horatio hissed but remained still as she set the bloody needle to the side, cleaned the wound, then bandaged it. Alexx made sure the gauze and tape was secure, then clasped his hand gently. “There you go. All clear.”

“Thank you Alexx.” Horatio studied his bandaged hand a moment, then looked up at her.

“No problem, honey.” Alexx grinned. “You just rest and recover Horatio. I'm looking forward to talking over work again soon. For now though, Calliegh and I are going to let you get some rest.”

Calliegh took that as her cue to rise and pick up the bowls and cups. “You want any more soup? Either of you?”

Horatio shook his head. Ryan did too. “That was great but honestly, I'm stuffed.”

Calliegh smirked. “Proper southern cooking will do that for you. But you should know, there's plenty for seconds if either of you want more.”

“Sure. Sounds great.” Ryan nodded.

Calliegh turned back to her boss. “Ryan will be here for the night. Frank will be by in the morning to take over, okay?” Horatio nodded.

Alexx put the last of the IV line into a disposal bag, then snapped her kit shut. “Well, if that's everything, I'll be back tomorrow. You remember everything you need to do, Ryan?”

“Yeah, sure.” Ryan fidgeted clearly uncomfortable.

“Right then. We'll just get out of you guys hair.” Calliegh gave Horatio a warm smile. “I'll stop by and see you later, tomorrow or the next day, okay?”

“That sounds...that sounds just fine.” Horatio managed a weak smile for her. Calliegh held his gaze for a moment, then followed Alexx out the door.

*****TiS*****

There was an awkward silence after the girls left. Horatio looked exhausted. Ryan shifted in his chair, then sat forward. “H? Can I get you anything?”

Horatio shook his head. “Actually, I think…I’d like to rest for a while.” His face was pale, and his blue eyes were dull with fatigue.

Ryan nodded. “Sure.” He rose from his seat and helped Horatio adjust the pillows and slide down, then adjusted the covers. “Okay…so…the doctor said you need to have food or water at least every three hours. So…do you want me to stay here until then, or would it be better if I stay in the living room?”

Horatio closed his eyes, then blinked them open. “I’d prefer…” He coughed lightly, his face contorting in pain as the movement made abused muscles ache.

Ryan caught him, helped him lay back down. “How about…I’ll just go to the living room. There’s a show I want to see, and I can check on you later.”

Gratitude flickered in Horatio’s eyes. “That…sounds good.” He laid his head back against the pillows, eyes dropping closed once more. Ryan watched, listening as Horatio’s breathing deepened and smoothed out, then went to the living room and flicked the TV on at low volume.

He checked on Horatio every other commercial break. The lieutenant slept quietly, breathing light and shallow. Once Ryan came in to find the sheets disturbed, as if Horatio had dreamed, but there were no signs of turmoil or uneasiness on his superior’s face, so he straightened the sheets and returned to his television, careful to keep an eye on the time.

Three hours after Horatio fell asleep, Ryan took a glass of water in. He watched Horatio sleep for a moment, then gently shook him awake. After a moment, Horatio groaned and blinked. His blue eyes fastened on Ryan in hazy confusion.

Ryan offered Horatio a sheepish half smile. “Sorry H. Doctor’s orders.” When Horatio made no move to sit up, he set the glass on the side of the bed, then gingerly slid his arm under Horatio’s shoulders. “Here. Let me give you a hand.” He propped Horatio up.

Horatio frowned. “Mr. Wolfe…”

Ryan made a face. “Yeah. Sorry to wake you.” He held the glass in front of Horatio’s sleepy-eyed gaze. “Here. Just drink this, and you can go back to sleep.”

Horatio complied without a word. Ryan steadied his shaky grip on the cup as he drank, then took the empty container and lowered Horatio back to the pillows afterward. Horatio’s eyes closed as soon as the water glass left his mouth, and his breathing indicated he was asleep within seconds of being laid back down. Ryan adjusted the covers he’d rumpled, then left the room.

He gave Horatio water twice more. Both times Horatio remained in a half asleep state. Ryan checked the clock as he left the room, then dialed Alexx.

The phone picked up after the third ring. “Ryan? Something wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Ryan bit his lip, then moved to the living room. “I’ve been taking care of Horatio according to the doctor’s orders ever since you and Calliegh left. It’s just…” He paused, raked a hand through his hair. “It’s just, I’ve woken him for water three times, and he’s been almost non-responsive every time. And I don’t know what that means. Do you think he’s okay?”

Alexx remained silent a moment. “You checked his breathing?”

“Yeah. Seems okay. He doesn’t feel hot either.”

“Then he’s probably just exhausted, sugar. Being sick can take a lot out of a body, and those were some nasty hallucinations. He’ll probably be a bit drowsy for a day or so. Still, I’ll come by when you and Frank switch out in an hour, do a quick check, okay?”

“Sure. I’ll just…keep an eye on him till then.” Ryan swallowed, then hung up the phone.

He spent the next hour flipping through channels, one eye on Horatio and the other eye on the clock. The doorbell rang right on the hour, and seconds later, Frank and Alexx joined him in the hall. Frank grinned. “You look like you've had a long night.”

Ryan shrugged. “Yeah, well, I'm off today, so...” He stifled a yawn.

“Right. So, how's Horatio?”

“Asleep, the last time I checked. I don't know if the doorbell would have woken him.”

“Well, let's go see. No sense standing around out here.” Alexx huffed at both men and edged her way past them to the bedroom. She cracked the door open. “Horatio, sugar?”

“Alexx.” The medic pushed the door open to reveal Horatio, propped on one elbow and blinking owlishly at them.

“Hey, sugar.” Alexx moved to the bedside. “How you feelin'?”

“I think...a bit worn out.” Horatio managed a weak smile.

“I don't doubt that in the least.” Alexx grinned and held up a thermometer. “You let me check your temperature and your breathing, let Frank get some food into you, and we'll all let you go back to sleep, all right?”

Horatio nodded and opened his mouth so Alexx could put the thermometer into his mouth. Everyone waited until it beeped, then she pulled it out and examined it. “100.1. Still a little high, but it's still a whole lot better.” She patted his head, a gesture Horatio appeared to tolerate. “Think you could eat some yogurt and juice for me?”

“Well Alexx...I'm certainly willing to try.” Horatio gave her a small smile.

“Right. I'll fix some up for you.” Alexx turned to level a stern look at the two men standing by the door. “Frank, you stay with Horatio. Ryan...you go home and get some sleep, baby. You look all worn out.”

Ryan grimaced and stifled a yawn. “Yeah...” He gave Horatio an awkward salute. “I'll be back later, H.”

“I'll see you then.” Horatio offered him a quiet smile. Ryan returned it, then left. A few moments later, Frank and Horatio heard the distant click of the front door.

“Well, that's him sorted.” Frank huffed a sigh and settled into a chair. “So, as you might have guessed, I'm your babysitter for the day. And since Alexx is dishing up some breakfast...anything I can do for you?”

Horatio frowned. “As a matter of fact...” He pushed himself upright. Frank stood, then reached across to steady him as he threw the covers back and turned to one side. With a soft grunt of effort, Horatio managed to get his feet on the floor. He tried to stand, and Frank caught him as he wobbled and fell back towards the mattress. “It looks like I...could use some assistance.”

Frank nodded and put a hand under Horatio's elbow to steady him. “Not surprising. That whack you got on the head would make anyone unsteady, and when you top it off with three weeks of pneumonia and bein' stuck in bed...it's a wonder you can even sit up yet.”

“Hmmm...well, I hope I can manage for a few seconds at least.” Horatio grimaced as Frank helped him stagger into the bathroom. “If you could...” He stopped, clearly uncomfortable.

“Sure. Just brace yourself on the sink there.” Horatio did. Frank let go. Horatio staggered, but remained upright, though he swayed. Frank backed up. “I'll just wait outside. Holler if you need me.” He pulled the door shut behind him, then stood close, listening in case Horatio fell.

There was a dull thump, but not loud enough to be Horatio hitting the floor. After a long few moments, there was a shuffling sound, then a flush. Water ran, then stopped. Frank backed away from the door just as Horatio opened it and leaned wearily against the door-frame. “Thank you Frank. If I could borrow your shoulder again....”

He swayed, and Frank caught him again as he staggered. Frank grinned. “Sure, no problem.” He led Horatio back to the bed and got him situated, leaning against the pillows, just Alexx returned carrying a tray laden with three plates and three cups. One plate held yogurt and a few slices of fruit, set next to a cup of orange juice. The other two had toast and eggs, and the smell of coffee wafted from two mugs. “Sorry about the wait boys.”

“Not a problem.” Frank relieved her of the tray, took a cup of coffee and a plate of eggs for himself, waited for Alexx to get hers, then set the tray on Horatio's lap. “Here you go. Just what the doctor ordered.”

“Hmmm...looks good. Though, I wouldn't mind some of that coffee too.” Horatio looked at his cup.

“Not a chance, Horatio, and don't you dare try to con Frank into giving you some.” Alexx leveled her fork at him. “Your system ain't near ready for coffee. Besides, you're supposed to be resting, and coffee won't help with that a bit.” Horatio didn't look convinced, and Alexx added a glare to her pointed fork. “You stick to water and juice for a few days, maybe a little Sprite. After you keep that down for a while, and get your temperature a bit lower, then we'll see about giving you coffee.”

“I see. Well...Doctor's orders.” Horatio traded a sheepish, wry smile with Frank, then turned his attention to his breakfast.

He managed to eat it all and finish the juice, but the effort clearly exhausted him. Alexx cleared the plates away and brought a fresh glass of water while Frank helped the redhead lie down again. Then Alexx took her leave. “You rest, Horatio sugar.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Horatio sighed once, then relaxed and fell back into a healing slumber. Frank watched him sleep, then retrieved his reports and a book from the front room and settled in to watch him.


	11. Confessions

The next few days passed swiftly. Horatio woke more frequently, and stayed awake longer each time. He tired easily, but by the end of the first day, he managed to stay awake a whole hour, chatting with Natalia. By the next day, when Eric returned, he only needed the minimum amount of help to stagger to the bathroom and back, and though he fell asleep shortly after, he woke an hour and a half later, much refreshed. 

After four days, Alexx and Reynolds agreed he could start having small solid meals, other than fruit, and watered down coffee, or coffee with cream and sugar. The return of regular foods and coffee improved Horatio's mood considerably.

By the end of the third day, it was clear that Horatio was getting restless. The fever still hadn't quite vanished, and he was still confined to his room. Frank and Ryan together moved the TV and brought him books. On the evening of the sixth day, Eric got permission from Alexx to invite the CSI team over for dinner and games. It was odd, to see their stoic leader playing card games like poker, especially in his sweatpants and T-shirt, but the distraction kept Horatio occupied for the better part of an evening. And even recovering from a head injury, he managed to rake in a fair amount of cash. 

The following morning Calliegh convinced the Chief to let her take copies of the current case files to Horatio for 'expert consultation', as well as some of the recent cases. The team spent the next three days rotating in and out, getting his opinions and his input on the various homicides, robberies, and other incidents that had cropped up while he'd been out. Any qualms anyone might have expressed about that were squashed after Horatio helped Natalia find a crucial piece of evidence in the robbery/assault case she'd picked up the day after he awakened.

It helped, getting him involved. And it was good, to see his recovery. Each day he was able to do more and more unassisted. He no longer needed help to go to the bathroom, and not that much in getting around his house. He even took to sitting in the living room in the afternoons while he did consultations, a notepad and pen on his lap so he could make notes and ask questions.

The mood of the lab and the CSI team improved along with Horatio's condition. But there was still an air of restraint among his caretakers, Eric and Calliegh especially.

Ten days after Horatio woke, Eric met Calliegh for lunch. The blond CSI had just switched with Frank, who had volunteered to take a half day after finishing a successful case and decided to finish his paperwork at Horatio's.

Eric grinned as Calliegh strolled into the break room and handed him a sack from his favorite fast food shop. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Calliegh grinned, then settled in beside him.

Eric unwrapped his sandwich. “How's H?”

“Chomping at the bit, naturally. His temperature's in the 99 range now. Makes him restless.” Calliegh took a bite of her own sandwich. “I'm a little worried though. I know that Horatio's the same guy he's always been, but I can't help feeling a little...I'm not quite sure how to describe it...”

“Restrained?” Eric grimaced around the food in his mouth and swallowed. “I know what you mean.”

Calliegh nodded. “It's just...knowing what he's been through, what happened to him...and knowing he doesn't know we know.”

“Yeah. It's awkward.” He sighed. “We agreed though, not to tell him unless he asks.”

“And that you'd get to tell him what happened.” Calliegh took another bite, then a sip of her tea. “It's just...I think we all feel that way. And I'm not sure if Horatio doesn't notice, or if he's just being subtle about it, biding his time.”

Eric nodded. “I'm kind of hoping he assumes it's just a response to having to nurse him.”

Calliegh smiled. “I hear you there. But still...it'd be more natural for him to feel awkward around us. I keep wondering if he's noticed that yet.”

Eric sighed. “Well, if he does, he does. We all know how observant H is. And if he picks it up...I'll tell him the truth.”

Calliegh nodded. “I just hope he doesn't take it too hard. I really think Horatio's had enough to deal with lately.”

“Yeah. Me too.” Eric sighed again, then focused on finishing his lunch and getting back to his case. It was a simple B&E, and he was pretty close to making an arrest. He wanted to get it done, so he could tell Horatio about it when his next turn came up.

Three days later, Horatio's fever finally settled. Alexx and Dr. Reynolds got together to examine him and declared that his lungs were clear, his respiration on the mend, and the last traces of the illness were fading. A thorough exam also proved that his concussion was completely mended, with no lasting damage done, and not even residual headaches remained. After close consultation, both physicians gave Horatio a list of recovery instructions to get his strength back up and give his immune system a boost, then declared that he could return to work the following Monday, six days away.

Alexx called Eric with the news. Eric grinned and gave Calliegh and Natalia a thumbs up from across the lab. Calliegh responded with an over the head victory shake, while Natalia pulled out her cell phone to text Ryan.

The mood in the lab was practically euphoric for the rest of the afternoon, and not even three hours working paperwork and wrapping up loose ends could dampen Eric's mood.

The following day was his day off, and his day to stay with Horatio. He let himself in, relieving Frank of the duty. The detective offered him some breakfast, which he declined, told him Horatio had eaten a full meal 'for once' and let himself out. Eric left his bag in the living room, then headed toward the bedroom.

Horatio was out of bed and standing by the window when Eric stepped into the room and greeted him. “Hey H.”

Horatio turned to smile at him. “Eric.”

Eric smiled in response. “How you doing?”

A brief smile crossed Horatio's face. “Better. However...I happened to notice something earlier, and Frank said you would clarify it for me.”

Something tightened in Eric's gut. He tried not to let his sudden unease show on his face. “Yeah, sure.” He moved into the room and settled on a chair, watching his brother-in-law. “Anything I can do.”

Another brief smile touched Horatio's mouth, then vanished as his eyes turned somber. “I noticed a few days ago...everyone seems to be acting...rather cautious.” He looked away, out the window, then back at Eric. “I was hoping you could tell me why that was.”

Eric swallowed. “Cautious how?” if Horatio meant that they were treating him like he was fragile, that was one thing. If it was something else....

“Cautious...as if there's something that you don't want me to know about.” Horatio's gaze was sharp, head tilted in that way that meant he was utterly focused on the question at hand, and Eric felt himself wince inside. “Did something happen at the lab or the station?”

Eric swallowed again, a leaden feeling in his gut. “No. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

“Then...it's something else.” Horatio's eyes were searching, waiting for an answer, and Eric suspected the other man had seen him wince.

Eric considered, then nodded slowly. “Yeah.” He took a deep breath. “I think you'd better sit down for this one.”

Horatio studied his face a moment, then moved to sit on the bed. “Okay. What's going on?”

Eric took a drink of water, trying to collect his thoughts and ease the sudden dryness in his mouth. He'd hoped not to have this conversation, but he'd known that Horatio was one of the most observant people alive. He took another sip, then spoke slowly, trying to figure out a way to soften the blow, trying to decide how much to reveal, and how to present it. “You know you were pretty sick for a while there.”

“Yes. I do.” Horatio tilted his head, his whole expression one of concentration.

“And you know that Ryan, Frank and I changed your clothes.”

“I do.” Horatio frowned thoughtfully, then looked at his arm. “Is this...because you saw...?” Eric saw Horatio's shoulders tense, strain appearing on his face. Then Horatio took a deep breath, and Eric saw his face settle into the same expression Horatio used when he was facing a difficult case at work, or a suspect he had trouble with. “You saw the scars.”

“We did. The girls only saw the ones on your arms. We saw the rest. And that's part of it.” Eric took another drink.

Horatio nodded slowly. “Okay. So what's the other part?”

Eric took a deep breath. “When you were sick...I mean...you were really sick for a while.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. “It was...pretty bad.”

Horatio's shoulders tensed a little further. “How bad?”

Eric grimaced, then forced himself to say the words. “Your fever was pretty high. You were delirious for several days. Hallucinating and stuff.”

“Hallucinating...” Horatio swallowed hard, looked away a moment. Then he turned back. Eric could see the strain in his eyes, the forced impassiveness. “Anything in particular?”

Eric nodded. “Yeah. You mistook me...well, different people actually...you kept mistaking all of us for different people. You called Calliegh and Natalia both 'mom'.”

Horatio flinched, his jaw tightening, shoulders tensing as his hands clenched. He jerked his gaze away, looking at the opposite wall. Then, slowly, his hands relaxed, and he turned his eyes to the bedspread. Then he turned his head to look Eric in the eyes, moving in a slow, hesitant manner. “Eric...tell me everything. Please.”

Eric nodded. He took another drink, then started talking. “It was...pretty rough. You were pretty agitated. Bad dreams, or visions, or flashbacks. Whatever you want to call them. Half the time, when we touched you, you'd go kind of crazy. You'd fight us. The other times...you kept mistaking people for your brother, or something. You'd say all sorts of things.”

Horatio's hands and jaw clenched again, then relaxed. His eyes, though, were sharp with the beginnings of fear and something else, something painful to see in his face. “What kinds of things, exactly?”

Eric looked away from the other man. For some reason, he didn't want to see Horatio's expression. “Different stuff. You'd mistake me for Ray, and you'd tell me to take 'her' and run. Tell me to run away. Or if it was the girls, you'd tell them to run, a lot. Sometimes, the worst times, you'd panic if anyone touched you. You'd just...you'd go nuts, start begging for us to stop, pleading. Flinching whenever we made contact, fighting us. And you'd...you'd kind of jerk, flail around, like you were trying to get away from something, trying to protect yourself from something. Sometimes, it would be like you were having muscle spasms, it got so bad. Those times, you'd start out pleading, and then...you'd just scream, like someone was hurting you.” He scrubbed his hands together, then clenched them tight in his lap.

Eric fell silent. There was a lump in his throat, and his chest hurt. He felt vaguely sick to his stomach. He swallowed hard, trying to ease it, then looked at Horatio.

Horatio was pale, his jaw clenched, eyes closed. Even seeing his face from the side, Eric could see the shame and humiliation in his expression.

Eric waited. He didn't know what to do. It was hard enough, confronting and comforting a regular victim. Someone who'd spent so long hiding it, so successfully...someone he respected and looked up to....it was a thousand times harder. He didn't know what to say that wouldn't make Horatio feel worse about the whole situation. And he still hadn't told him all of it. His stomach clenched painfully.

Horatio sat still for well over a minute. Then he exhaled, slowly, softly. “Anything else?”

Eric swallowed hard. He knew Horatio was going to hate this. “Yeah.”

Horatio nodded, one short, sharp jerk of his head. “Tell me.”

“We got approval from the Chief, to take care of you, but all those sick days and personal time and stuff...it made Stetler suspicious.” Eric scrubbed a hand through his hair, looking away from the tense figure on the bed. “He came here.”

“Rick...came here.” Horatio's voice was soft, with that too-controlled edge that Eric recognized as Horatio on the verge of a serious meltdown. He'd heard H sound like that a few times, and even when it wasn't directed at him, he had the urge to run. Hell, he'd heard Horatio take that tone with Stetler in his defense once, and he'd still gotten out of the way as fast as possible. “And?”

“Me and Ryan were here. I didn't plan to let him in, tried to get him to go away, but you had a bad spell, and Ryan needed help. And Stetler....” He paused.

“Stetler invited himself in, is that it?” Horatio's voice was rough with anger.

“Yeah. He saw you. You were in pretty bad shape.” Eric felt his jaw muscles clenching at the memory of Stetler watching Horatio as he thrashed, the IAB agent's questions.

“You mean...I was hallucinating.” Horatio's voice was still quiet, but the anger faded, replaced by a dull flush of embarrassment.

Eric winced and looked away. He hated seeing Horatio look so ashamed. “Yeah.” He sighed, then decided to get it over with. “He left after a few minutes. But the next day...I saw him at work. We talked.” He didn't want to see Horatio's face for the next part, but he couldn't bear to keep his back turned. He owed Horatio that much at least. He turned back.

Horatio hadn't moved. He was still staring at the sheets, his expression tense and pale.

Eric took a deep breath and sat forward, bracing himself. “Stetler...he said he wasn't going to say anything. Something about it not being his thing, and that there were lines even he didn't cross, and this was one of them. And then...he gave me this file to read. Said it would explain stuff, that I could use it to help you.” He scrubbed a hand over his face.

“Did you read it?” Horatio's voice was still eerily calm and controlled.

“I did.” Eric swallowed. This was harder than he'd thought it would be.

Horatio inhaled, then exhaled in a slow, controlled breath. “Okay.” Another deep breath, and then he looked up, blue eyes filled with apprehension. “What was in the file?”

Eric took a deep breath of his own. “Old case from New York. Double homicide. About 20 or so years ago.”

Horatio jerked back as if he'd been physically slapped, eyes widening, jaw clenching, teeth bared. Eric had just enough time to register the emotions slashing across his face, then Horatio snapped his face away and shoved himself off the bed, staggering to the opposite side of the room to lean against the wall. Eric had no doubt Horatio would have gone farther if he could have.

Silence filled the room, a heavy leaden silence. Finally, Eric couldn't take it. “H...I'm sorry. I...if I'd known what it was, I wouldn't have...it's just...I was freaking out. Listening to you, during those nightmares...it sounded like someone was torturing you. And I didn't know what to do for you, how to help you. Half the time you were mistaking me for your brother Ray, and half the time you acted like I was the one causing you pain. I kept worrying that I was hurting you, making things worse, and I didn't know how.” He sat forward, his head in his hands. “I don't trust Stetler, but I was desperate. I wanted to help you so bad, and we were hitting dead ends...I had to read it, if there was the slightest chance it would help.” He exhaled. “But...I'm sorry. I know...it doesn't help. But I am.”

After a long moment, Horatio spoke. “So...you know...you know about my family.”

He knew what Horatio was asking. “Your dad beat your mom to death. You tried to stop him, accidentally crushed his windpipe in the struggle. Courts ruled it accidental homicide in self defense, with extreme provocation, and acquitted you.” He took a deep breath. “There were indications...police thought your dad was abusive. Violent.”

Horatio's voice was low, painful. “He was.”

Eric swallowed hard, his throat tight. He'd known, but hearing Horatio say it, even in just those two words, was more painful than he'd expected. “I know. I saw the case photos.”

He fell silent, waiting for Horatio. After a long moment, the older man pushed himself away from the wall and turned. Not to face him, but so he was looking out the window. “Does anyone else...?”

Eric winced. “Calliegh. I...showed her the file.” He felt a leaden sensation in his stomach at admitting such a breach of confidence. “I know, I shouldn't have. But...I didn't know what to do. How to react. I think I was kind of in shock. I needed her help.” He paused to collect his thoughts. “I told the others that something happened to your family, and that there were indications that your father was a violent drunk. I didn't tell them anything else.” Horatio turned to him, and he saw the darkness in the man's eyes. “I'm sorry H. But...they were all worried. I had to tell them something. And Natalia had already guessed anyway.”

“Yes...she would.” Horatio looked away again.

Eric lapsed into silence. Horatio continued to stare out the window, but he could see the tension in his brother-in-law's shoulders, knew he was suppressing his emotions. Eric swallowed hard, feeling the ache in his gut, wondering how Horatio felt. He felt ashamed at how he had handled the whole thing.

He felt like he had betrayed his brother's trust. He bit his lip a moment, then spoke softly. “You want me to go? I can call one of the others if you want.”

“No. That...that won't be necessary.” Horatio turned back to him. The older man wouldn't meet his eyes, and the earlier expression of shame had settled, marking the lines of his face.

“Okay.” Eric swallowed. “You should probably sit down. The doc wouldn't want you to push yourself, and this...this is pretty stressful.”

A brief, ironic smile curved over Horatio's mouth, easing the painful looking set of his jaw. “That...is true.” He came back, settled into the bed. Eric let him settle into position, then fluffed his pillows and wrapped the blanket around his waist. Another faint smile touched Horatio's mouth. “Thank you.”

“Sure.” Eric sat back. He watched Horatio's face a moment, then spoke softly. “You want to talk about it?”

Horatio frowned. “No...no I don't.”

Eric nodded. “Okay. Fair enough.” He hesitated. “You know...it's not that we think any less of you. Nothing like that. It's just...seeing you in pain like that...knowing we couldn't help you...it was tough.” He brushed his hair back. “We didn't want to confront you about it or anything, but those nightmares...they were brutal. And seeing you helpless, sick like this...I think we're all just kind of getting over it. It'll get better when you're back in the office, ordering us around, chasing bad guys.”

He looked up. After a long moment, Horatio met his gaze. “We aren't being awkward because we feel sorry for you, or anything like that. We've all seen enough to know better. It's just...the fact that we couldn't help, that none of us knew how to support you...I guess we all feel like we let you down or something.” He grimaced. “I mean...we see so many cases, we know all the right responses and stuff, and then it's someone we really wanna help and none of us has a damn clue what to do or say.” He shook his head. “I can't speak for anyone else but...I really felt kind of pathetic.”

“That...is not necessary.” Horatio tilted his head to one side, his gaze serious. “This was...it was my decision.”

“I know. We know. But I still feel like we should have guessed.”

Horatio shook his head. “Even if you had...” He paused, then spoke softly. “Even if you had, I'm not sure there's anything you could have done. Sometimes...it's best to leave old scars alone.”

“Yeah. I hear you.” Eric shook his head again. “It's just...I feel like...if Mari were here, she'd slap me or something, for not taking better care of you.” He swallowed. “You know...I wanted to ask...did she know?”

“Some of it. Not everything.” Horatio's voice was quiet.

Eric nodded. “She told me there were sides to you I hadn't seen.” He shook his head. “I won't press you, but...” He reached out and put a hand on Horatio's shoulder. “If you ever want...or need, to talk about something...talk to me. Okay? I can't promise I'll know how to react or anything, but...I can promise...I can at least be there for you.”

Horatio looked away, face working. Then he nodded. “Okay.” He looked up, meeting Eric's gaze. “Okay. I will.”

Eric relaxed back into his seat. “Just one question before we both forget this conversation.” Horatio nodded. “What do you want me to do with that file? I can go out to the car and get it for you if you want.”

Horatio remained silent a moment, then flexed his jaw. “I um...I have a better idea. Why don't you...” He looked up at Eric, eyes intense and forceful. “Why don't you just put it through a shredder and use it as kindling.”

“Sure. I'll do that first thing when I have my next shift.” Eric relaxed a little more. To be honest, he'd wanted to that to the file ever since Stetler had given it to him.

Awkward silence filled the room, then Eric shifted in his chair. “You know, Calliegh said if you're coming back, you might as well start getting caught up on all the department paperwork you missed. She sent me over with a big stack of files for you.” He grinned, knowing Horatio liked paperwork about as much as any other CSI. Not at all.

Horatio snorted, but a small smile softened the line of his jaw, warmth and humor returning to his eyes. “I see. Then perhaps I'd better get busy.” He worked his way out of bed, and Eric followed him to the living room.


	12. Back in the Game

The last five days of Horatio's convalescence passed swiftly. Alexx and Dr. Reynolds came by that Friday, during Calliegh's shift. They gave the CSI a final check up. Dr. Reynolds prescribed an emergency inhaler, until Horatio's lungs had completely healed, and light field duty for a few more weeks. Together, he and Alexx went over a recommended physical regimen to bring Horatio back to full health. Horatio took it in stride. He clearly wasn't pleased with the limitations he was under, but he accepted them, and his mood improved when the doctors agreed that he no longer needed round the clock watchers.

Yelina and Ray Jr came by that Saturday to visit. Ray Jr was a little shy at first, but Horatio welcomed him with a smile and an offer to watch a ball game while he cooked steaks, and the young man cheered up instantly. He headed inside, intent on setting up the TV station. Yelina smiled after him, then turned to look at her brother-in-law. “How are you feeling?”

“A little tired. But I'll live.” He flashed her a brief smile, but she saw the shadows in his eyes.

She could guess what he wanted to know. “What do you want to tell Ray Jr?”

The smile flickered away. “What does he know?”

“That you had nightmares. That you were delirious, and mistook Eric Delko for his father at one point. That you wanted him to run, but not from what. I kept him away after that. I assumed that it was something you would not want to talk about.” She met his eyes.

“And what do you know?” He held her gaze, his own shadowed and tension filled.

“That you and Raymond had very good reasons not to talk about your father. And that it wasn't just protectiveness that made you respond to the way Stetler treated me when he was drinking.”

He looked away. “That...is very true.”

She reached out and touched his hand. “I won't ask, Horatio. You don't have to tell me anything more. It won't take much for Ray to think you were dreaming of Mala Noche, and what they did to his father.”

“No. But I don't think I should lie to him.” He sighed. “I'll tell him the truth. But not until he asks. If he does.”

“All right.” Yelina nodded. Then she smiled. “Inside. You're still too pale. And you need to rest before you go playing around with a hot stove to cook those steaks.” She gave him a small push down the hall. Horatio smiled back, a small upturn of the corner of his mouth, and did as she commanded.

They spent the rest of the evening relaxing. Horatio made steaks and baked potatoes. He'd lost weight during his illness, enough to concern the doctors. Yelina didn't protest when her son and his uncle both loaded their baked potatoes with butter, cheese, chives and bacon bits. She normally tried to get her son to eat healthier, but it was worth the temporary lapse to see Horatio eat a full meal. And to watch the two of them smiling and chattering together as they watched the football game, critiqued the plays, and criticized the commercials.

The following Monday, Horatio arrived at work early. His suit was a little looser than normal, and his face was a little pale, but those were the only outward signs of the toll his illness had taken on him.

Alexx met him at the door. “Horatio.”

“Alexx.” He slipped his sunglasses off, letting her see his eyes, and the lack of tired shadows under them.

She studied him. “You feeling okay?”

“Perfectly fine. Not even winded.”

“You remember all the rules?”

Horatio smiled tightly. “Of course. Desk work only for the first week, light field duty for the next two, no chasing the suspects or getting shot at. Observation Deck only in Autopsy. And no mixing chemicals in the labs for at least another ten days.”

She nodded. “And you'd better behave, or I will slap you in quarantine so fast your head will spin.” She shook a finger at him. “You know I will.” He ducked his head in acknowledgment, and she relaxed. “You got your inhaler on you?”

“Inside pocket of my jacket, safe and sound and within easy reach.”

“All right.” Alexx smiled. “I can tell you're impatient, so get inside.” She swatted at him. “And Horatio?” He paused to look at her. She smirked. “Good to have you back, sugar.”

“Thank you. It's good to be back.” Horatio smiled and ducked inside.

The Chief was waiting in his office, seated at his desk. He rose as Horatio entered. “Horatio. How are you?”

Horatio shook his hand. “Doing well sir. Thank you.”

The man nodded. “Heard from CSI Dusquene that you were pretty sick there for a while. Everything all cleared up?”

“I've been medically advised to stay on light duty for a few more weeks. But it's mostly preventative at this point.”

The chief's mouth curled in a smile. “Well, listen to your doctor, Lieutenant. Your people are competent, and your department may have run fine in your absence, but we still need you here. And we need your team focused. You're the best we've got, and I don't want any more life-threatening illnesses taking you out of the picture. At least, not for a while.”

Horatio smiled back. “I'll do my best sir.”

The other man clapped him on the shoulder. “You always do, Horatio, you always do.” With that final parting statement, the man left. Horatio watched him cross the labs, then settled behind his desk.

He spent most of the morning catching up on his paperwork, and making a to-do list of things he needed to check on. A month of sick leave meant he'd need a physical evaluation, though that could be delayed until he came off his current restrictions. He'd also need to run through a weapons test, to check his shooting accuracy and handling, make sure he hadn't slipped up too much while confined to bed. There had been a new update in the lab protocols as well. Calliegh had brought over a copy, but he set aside some time to refresh his memory and do a walk through in the lab to make sure he remembered everything.

There was also a small stack of administrative paperwork for him to catch up on. Calliegh had done an excellent job of getting him up-to-date, but there were always a hundred little things to be seen to, to take care of, and there was an inevitable pile from over the weekend.

He spent the afternoon visiting the labs, saying hello to his team, checking in on the cases they'd managed to catch. Two were robberies, fairly straightforward, one an assault case that was a little more difficult. The team had everything under control, but they greeted him enthusiastically, each member taking time to give him a through briefing on the case, the evidence they'd collected so far, the leads they were pursuing and the suspects they had on their respective radars.

The next few days passed in a similar manner. Horatio helped with paperwork, assisted in looking over evidence, and offered his advice and experience. He remained in the lab, but he was constantly on call, answering phone calls from his team when they went into the field. He attended all the autopsies, leaving his team free to work on other pieces of evidence while he took notes from Alexx and collected physical findings. It wasn't usual procedure, but all of them understood. Getting involved prevented him from going crazy.

Even Frank stopped by the lab more than usual, consulting on the run of the mill cases that didn't need to be brought to the CSI's, but still had to be worked over.

The following Monday, Horatio was cleared for field work. Alexx gave him a thorough examination, checked his inhaler dosage, and released him. Horatio left the ME's office radiating satisfaction.

Rick Stetler was waiting for him by the elevator. Horatio's smile dropped, his posture changing from relaxed to wary. “Rick.”

“Horatio.” Stetler called the elevator, then jerked his head. “Come on. We can talk on the ride up.”

Horatio joined him in the compartment. Stetler watched the doors close before he spoke. “So, cleared for duty I assume?”

“That's correct. Barring some basic constraints for safety reasons.” Horatio's voice was icy.

“Yeah. Figured.” Rick sighed, then slapped a palm on the stop button. “Look, I know you're probably upset with me. Telling Delko...”

“You had no business telling Eric anything, and especially not about that.” Horatio's voice dropped, his expression thunderous. “Those files were confidential Rick. And they were sealed for a reason, a reason you understood very well when you chose to hand them over to my subordinate.”

“I didn't. I chose to hand them over to your brother-in-law.” Rick sighed. “Semantics, I know. But if you could have seen yourself...Horatio...”

“That matter was private. If I'd wanted Eric to know about it, I'd have told him myself, either before or directly after I married his sister.” Horatio leveled a glare at the taller man.

“I know. I know. Bad call on my part. But you have to know why I did it.” Rick's eyes searched his. “You were delirious Horatio.”

“A fact you would never have known if you hadn't broken into my house.” Horatio's glare was unyielding.

“Point.” Rick held up his hands in surrender. “Point. I let my professional curiosity get the better of my courtesy. But you've never stayed out for anything before Horatio. You have to know how suspicious it looked for you to suddenly take off for weeks, with no prior warning.” Rick huffed. “Look, we don't like each other, but even I'll admit, you're pretty damn good about keeping your paperwork in order about things like that. You have to understand why I was surprised when you went MIA.”

Horatio's jaw clenched. “Perhaps. But that doesn't excuse what you did. That secret...was not yours to reveal.”

“It was the only way I knew to help you and your team.” Horatio didn't say a word, standing stone-faced in the dimly lit elevator compartment. Rick threw up his hands. “Okay. Okay. I admit, it was a bad call on my part. I shouldn't have told Delko about your family and your personal history. I should have left it alone. I just thought it might give them a way to help ground you, prevent some of those hallucinations.” He shook his head. “You were a mess Horatio. You mistook me for your brother, that's how bad you were. I figured maybe Delko and Yelina could keep you calmer if they knew what the hell was going on inside your head. That's all. I swear on my badge, that's all.”

Horatio stood silent for several long moments. Then his jaw unclenched. “You did help Eric, so...apology accepted. As long as you understand that the next time you disperse my personal information without my consent, I will take it up with you. And I will not use words.” The blue eyes flashed dangerously. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Crystal. It won't happen again.” Rick tapped the button to restart the elevator, and the rest of the journey was made in strained silence.

The doors opened to reveal Ryan, standing impatiently. The young CSI blinked, then his expression lightened. “Horatio. I was just about to call you. We got a call out. Shots fired, mid downtown, one casualty. Eric's already on his way, and I just called Alexx. So...”

“So, we have a crime scene to process, and a criminal to catch.” Horatio smiled. “Hang on a minute, let me grab my keys, and I'll meet you in the garage.”

Ryan grinned. “Yes sir.” He darted away.

Stetler removed himself from the elevator. “I'll see you later, Horatio.”

Horatio smiled tightly. “I'm sure you will.” Stetler left, and he went to his office to grab his gun and badge, and the keys to his Hummer.

Ryan met him in the garage, practically vibrating with eagerness. Horatio nodded. “Got the address?” Ryan reeled it off, looking at his phone for confirmation. Horatio settled behind the wheel of his Hummer as Ryan ducked into the passenger side.

He slipped his sunglasses on, gave his junior team member a small smile as the Hummer roared to life. “Let's go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the end. I hope everyone enjoyed the story.

**Author's Note:**

> I was sick, I was bored, I'd been binge-watching CSI: Miami...need I say more?


End file.
